Counting Things

Level 1

A common counting phrase places the noun first and its cardinal numeral second.

How It Works

Common following cardinal forms are kan, one; méjì, two; mẹ́ta, three; mẹ́rin, four; márùnún, five; and mẹ́fà, six. Compare àpò kan, ‘one bag’, with àpò méjì, ‘two bags’. The noun stays unchanged, and the count does not itself require àwọn.

Learn these forms rather than applying an unrestricted m-prefix rule. Noun-first order is not universal: the textbook illustrates exact multiples of ten, including ogún, ‘twenty’, before nouns. This exception does not establish a blanket reversal for every larger number. Larger additive and subtractive expressions have established constructions. Cardinals express quantity; ordinals express position in a sequence.

Examples (3)

  1. àpò méjì

    Two bags (noun-phrase fragment).

    Méjì follows the counted noun.

  2. fìlà mẹ́ta

    Three caps (noun-phrase fragment).

    Mẹ́ta counts the caps.

  3. Mo ní ajá mẹ́rin.

    I have four dogs.

    Mẹ́rin follows ajá to specify the count.

How It Connects

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Counting ThingsLevel 1

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