Numbers 1-20
Count from one to ten: een, twee, drie, vier, vyf, ses, sewe, agt, nege, tien. Then come elf, twaalf and the -tien numbers up to twintig.
How It Works
One to twelve.
- 1 een, 2 twee, 3 drie, 4 vier, 5 vyf, 6 ses
- 7 sewe, 8 agt, 9 nege, 10 tien, 11 elf, 12 twaalf
Thirteen to twenty.
- 13 dertien, 14 veertien, 15 vyftien, 16 sestien
- 17 sewentien, 18 agttien, 19 negentien, 20 twintig
Watch 13 and 14. They are dertien and veertien, not drietien or viertien. Zero is nul.
Two spellings are allowed for some numbers. The official word list accepts agttien and agtien (18), and negentien and neëntien (19). You will also hear ag for 8 and neë for 9.
Een or 'n? Een is the number one and is said with a full vowel. 'n means a and is said with a short, weak vowel: Ek het 'n kat (I have a cat), Ek het net een kat (I have only one cat).
Nouns after numbers. A countable noun is plural: twee boeke, drie susters. Measure words like jaar and rand stay singular: sewe jaar oud, vyftien rand (measure words after numbers).
Examples (6)
- Ek het twee broers en een suster.
I have two brothers and one sister.
Word by Word: I have two brothers and one sister.
- My dogter is sewe jaar oud.
My daughter is seven years old.
Word by Word: My daughter is seven year old.
Jaar stays singular after a number.
- Daar is twaalf maande in 'n jaar.
There are twelve months in a year.
Word by Word: There is twelve months in a year.
- Ons klas het negentien leerders.
Our class has nineteen learners.
Word by Word: Our class has nineteen learners.
- Tel van een tot tien.
Count from one to ten.
Word by Word: Count from one to ten.
- Die kaartjie kos vyftien rand.
The ticket costs fifteen rand.
Word by Word: The ticket costs fifteen rand.
Common Mistakes
Building 13 from drie.
Hy is drietien.Hy is dertien.Thirteen is dertien and fourteen is veertien. The first part changes.
Leaving a countable noun singular after a number.
Ek het drie suster.Ek het drie susters.After a number from two up, a countable noun is plural.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Numbers are learned as words, so the alphabet and its sounds come first.
Related Patterns
- Numbers From 21
The numbers after twenty, where the ones come first.
Level 1 - Ordinal Numbers
First, second, third: eerste, tweede, derde.
Level 2 - Measure Words After Numbers
Why jaar and rand stay singular after a number.
Level 2 - Telling the Time
Using these numbers to tell the time.
Level 2 - 'n + NounThe Article 'N
The difference between 'n (a) and een (one).
Level 1 - -e (Plural)Plurals with -e
The plural a noun takes after twee, drie and up: twee boeke.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Numbers 1-20 in Bubblegum
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