Here is how to count in Dendi, from 1 to 1,000, with 20 numbers checked against reference sources (Dendi of Benin). Learn the first ten first: almost all the others are built from them.
1
From 0 to 10
afɔone
hayinkaalso: ahinkatwo
ahinzathree
atakifour
ayidusix
ayiyealso: ahiyeseven
ayiyakueight
aweyiten
2
From 11 to 19
aweyi kinifɔeleven
aweyi kinihinkatwelve
aweyi kinihinzathirteen
aweyi kinitakifourteen
aweyi kinidusixteen
aweyi kinihiyeseventeen
aweyi kiniyakueighteen
3
Tens, hundreds, thousands
warankatwenty
waranzathirty
weitakiforty
zɔnfɔone hundred
dubufɔone thousand
Test yourself
1. What does “hayinka” mean?
2. What does “ayiyaku” mean?
3. What does “aweyi kinitaki” mean?
4. What does “waranza” mean?
Where do these words come from?
The words in this article come from: Numeral Systems of the World’s Languages (E. Chan). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.
The words in this article come from: Numeral Systems of the World’s Languages (E. Chan). They are copied with their exact spelling; when two sources disagree, the variant is shown. Do you speak this language and spot a mistake? Write to us.