Numbers From Eleven

Level 2

Teens start with du: dubaako (11), dumienu (12). Tens start with adu-: aduonu (20), aduasa (30). Then ɔha (100) and apem (1,000).

How It Works

1. Eleven to nineteen
Du (ten) + the unit, written as one word:

  • dubaako 11, dumienu 12, dumiɛnsa 13
  • dunan 14, dunum 15, dunsia 16
  • dunson 17, dunwɔtwe 18, dunkron 19

You will also see them as two words (du baako) or with a double m (dummienu).

2. The tens

  • aduonu 20, aduasa 30, aduanan 40
  • aduonum 50, aduosia 60, aduoson 70
  • aduowɔtwe 80, aduokron 90

3. Between the tens
Say the ten, then the unit: aduonu baako (21), aduasa mmienu (32), aduanan nnum (45).

4. Hundreds and thousands
ɔha is 100. Plural hundreds use aha-: ahaanu (200, also written ahanu), ahaasa (300). apem is 1,000, and mpem mmienu is 2,000. Link the rest with ne: ɔha ne aduonu (120), apem ne ahaanu (1,200). For even bigger numbers, see large numbers.

5. In a sentence
The number follows the noun. A noun that has a plural form uses it: nnipa aduonu (twenty people, from onipa). Some words, like sidi (cedi), stay the same: sidi dumienu (twelve cedis). See noun phrase order.

Examples (6)

  1. Ɛyɛ sidi dumienu.

    It is twelve cedis.

    Word by Word: it-is cedis twelve

  2. Mewɔ sidi aduonu.

    I have twenty cedis.

    Word by Word: I-have cedis twenty

  3. Nnipa ɔha baeɛ.

    A hundred people came.

    Word by Word: people hundred came

  4. Asuafoɔ aduasa wɔ adesuadan no mu.

    There are thirty students in the classroom.

    Word by Word: students thirty are-at classroom the inside

  5. Nwoma no yɛ sidi aduonu nnum.

    The book is twenty-five cedis.

    Word by Word: book the is cedis twenty five

    Say the ten first, then the unit.

  6. Madi mfe aduanan mmienu.

    I am forty-two years old.

    Word by Word: I-have-eaten years forty two

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the number before the noun, as in English.

    Mewɔ aduonu sidi.
    Mewɔ sidi aduonu.

    Numbers come after the noun in Twi: sidi aduonu (twenty cedis).

  • Building twenty as two tens.

    Mewɔ sidi mmienu du.
    Mewɔ sidi aduonu.

    Tens have their own words. Twenty is aduonu, not two ten.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Numbers From ElevenLevel 2

Learn This First

Numbers from eleven build on one to ten.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

dubaakodumienuaduonuaduasaaduananɔhaapemdu