Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20

A1 — Hejmar

The numbers 1 to 20 and the tens, compounds with û, and why the noun stays singular after a number.

Can count from 1 to 20 and use numbers in context

Examples

Ez bîst û pênc salî me. — I am twenty-five years old.
Min du bira hene. — I have two brothers.
Deh şagirt di polê de ne. — Ten students are in the class.

NumbersA1

Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20

The numbers 1 to 20 and the tens, compounds with û, and why the noun stays singular after a number.

Learning Goal

Can count from 1 to 20 and use numbers in context

Exam Skills:ListeningReadingWritingSpeaking

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Ez bîst û pênc salî me.

I am twenty-five years old.

Min du bira hene.

I have two brothers.

Deh şagirt di polê de ne.

Ten students are in the class.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

1 to 10

1 yek	2 du	3 sê	4 çar	5 pênc
6 şeş	7 heft	8 heşt	9 neh	10 deh

English speakers often notice the family resemblance: du and "two", sê and "three", neh and "nine", deh and Latin decem. Kurdish is an Indo-European language, a distant cousin of English. "Two" said on its own, in counting or as an answer, is often didu; before a noun it is du: du çay (two teas).

11 to 20

11 yazde	12 duwazde	13 sêzde	14 çarde	15 pazde
16 şazde	17 hevde	18 hejde	19 nozde	20 bîst

The teens end in -de or -zde, a worn-down "ten". Spelling varies by region (hivde, hijde, dwanzdeh); the forms above are common in written Kurmanji.

Tens and compounds

sî (30), çil (40), pêncî (50), şêst (60), heftê (70), heştê (80), not or nod (90), sed (100). Join tens and units with û ("and"): bîst û yek (21), çil û pênc (45).

Numbers with nouns

In the direct case the noun after a number stays singular in form: sê xwişk (three sisters), pênc sêv (five apples). English speakers add a plural ending out of habit; Kurmanji does not need one. In the oblique, for example after a preposition, the plural ending -an does appear: bi sê xwişkan re (with three sisters). Asking a price in the bazaar in Amed: Bi çiqasî ye? - Bîst lîre. (How much? - Twenty lira.)

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Learners put the noun after a number in the plural. In the direct case the noun stays as it is: sê xwişk (three sisters), pênc sêv (five apples); the oblique still takes -an: bi sê xwişkan re (with three sisters). And du (two) before a noun becomes didu when it stands alone.

Common Error Patterns

Error with Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20

Review the rules for Hejmartinên 1-20

Ez bîst û pênc salî me.

I am twenty-five years old.

Bîst û pênc = 20 and 5 = 25. Salî = years old.

Min du bira hene.

I have two brothers.

Du = two. Bira = brothers. Numbers before nouns, no izafe needed.

Deh şagirt di polê de ne.

Ten students are in the class.

Deh = ten. Şagirt = students. Di polê de = in the class.

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Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

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1. Greetings and introductions

Frequently asked questions

When do you use Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20?: English speakers often notice the family resemblance: du and "two", sê and "three", neh and "nine", deh and Latin decem . Kurdish is an Indo-European language, a distant cousin of English. "Two" said on its own, in counting or as an answer, is often didu ; before a noun it is du : du çay (two teas).
How do you form Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20?: The teens end in -de or -zde , a worn-down "ten". Spelling varies by region ( hivde , hijde , dwanzdeh ); the forms above are common in written Kurmanji. sî (30), çil (40), pêncî (50), şêst (60), heftê (70), heştê (80), not or nod (90), sed (100). Join tens and units with û ("and"): bîst û yek (21), çil û pênc (45). In the direct case the noun after a number stays singular in form: sê xwişk (three sisters), pênc sêv (five apples). English speakers add a plural ending out of habit; Kurmanji does not need one. In the oblique, for example after a preposition, the plural ending -an does appear: bi sê xwişkan re (with three sisters).
What are common mistakes with Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20?: Learners put the noun after a number in the plural. In the direct case the noun stays as it is: sê xwişk (three sisters), pênc sêv (five apples); the oblique still takes -an: bi sê xwişkan re (with three sisters). And du (two) before a noun becomes didu when it stands alone.

1 to 10

1 yek	2 du	3 sê	4 çar	5 pênc
6 şeş	7 heft	8 heşt	9 neh	10 deh

11 to 20

11 yazde	12 duwazde	13 sêzde	14 çarde	15 pazde
16 şazde	17 hevde	18 hejde	19 nozde	20 bîst

The teens end in -de or -zde, a worn-down "ten". Spelling varies by region (hivde, hijde, dwanzdeh); the forms above are common in written Kurmanji.

Tens and compounds

sî (30), çil (40), pêncî (50), şêst (60), heftê (70), heştê (80), not or nod (90), sed (100). Join tens and units with û ("and"): bîst û yek (21), çil û pênc (45).

Numbers with nouns

Frequently asked questions

When do you use Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20?

English speakers often notice the family resemblance: du and "two", sê and "three", neh and "nine", deh and Latin decem . Kurdish is an Indo-European language, a distant cousin of English. "Two" said on its own, in counting or as an answer, is often didu ; before a noun it is du : du çay (two teas).

How do you form Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20?

The teens end in -de or -zde , a worn-down "ten". Spelling varies by region ( hivde , hijde , dwanzdeh ); the forms above are common in written Kurmanji. sî (30), çil (40), pêncî (50), şêst (60), heftê (70), heştê (80), not or nod (90), sed (100). Join tens and units with û ("and"): bîst û yek (21), çil û pênc (45). In the direct case the noun after a number stays singular in form: sê xwişk (three sisters), pênc sêv (five apples). English speakers add a plural ending out of habit; Kurmanji does not need one. In the oblique, for example after a preposition, the plural ending -an does appear: bi sê xwişkan re (with three sisters).

What are common mistakes with Cardinal numbers from 1 to 20?