Numerals

Cardinal Numbers

Traditionally Gaelic used a vigesimal counting system. This means that it is based in 20s (equivalent to the old numbers in English based on "Score"). Within this system there are several different variants for counting larger complex numbers.

A more modern decimal (10 based system) has been introduced and is taught in schools, but isn't favored by many native speakers. These are the forms that end in -ead or -ad.

Vigesimal System: when used to list phone numbers or count objects without naming them

The system is a base 20 system, with numbers generated for the most part as multiples of 20. The numbers below are used to count, list years, or phone numbers. See section 1.3 below for directions for use when counting nouns.

0 to 19

• 0-19 are identical in the vigesimal and decimal systems.
• Numbers 0-10 are formed using simple numbers
• Numbers 11-19 are formed by taking the basic numbers 1-9 and attaching deug to the end of it.
• Formally, when counting or listing phone numbers, each number is prefixed with the particle a^H (a h-aonan, a dha, a tri, a ceithir, a còig, a sia, a seachd, a h-ochd, a naoi, a deich, etc.) But this particle is rarely used anymore by speakers. Lamb (2003) reports that the particle is only really used on the Radio. The particle does, however appear as the last part of complex numbers such as ceithir fichead 's a tri (83)

Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic
0	neodi	10	deich
1	aonan/aona	11	aon deug
2	dhà	12	dà dheug
3	tri	13	tri deug
4	ceithir	14	ceithir deug
5	còig	15	còig deug
6	sia	16	sia deug
7	seachd	17	seachd deug
8	ochd	18	ochd deug
9	naoi	19	naoi deug

Vigesimal 20-29, 40-49, 60-69, 80-89

• The number twenty is fichead'
• There are three different ways to form numbers from 21-29
  • take the simple number 1-9 and add "air fhichead ("on twenty") on the end. (e.g. dà air fhichead)
  • take the simple number 1-9 and add thar fhichead ("over twenty") on the end. (e.g. trì thar fhichead)
  • take the number twenty and follow it with 's (and), then one of the digits 1-9 preceded by the counting particle (e.g. fichead 's a h-aon)
• Multiples of twenty (40, 60, 70, 80, and to a rarer degree 120, 140, 160, 180) are formed by putting one of the digits 2-4 or 5-9 in front of fichead', (e.g. dà fhichead "two twenties", trì fichead "three twenties", notice that dà lenites fhichead.
• numbers 41-49, 69-69, 80-89 are formed by taking 40, 60, 80, and appending 's (and) and then one of the digits 1-9 preceded by the counting particle (e.g. dà fhichead 's a h-aon)

Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic
20	Fichead	40	dà fhichead	60	trì fichead	80	ceithir fichead
21	fichead 's a h-aon aon air fhichead aon thar fhichead	41	dà fhichead 's a h-aon	61	trì fichead 's a h-aon	81	ceithir fichead 's a h-aon
22	fichead 's a dhà dà air fhichead dà thar fhichead	42	dà fhichead 's a dhà	62	trì fichead 's a dhà	82	ceithir fichead 's a dhà
23	fichead 's a trì trì air fhichead trì thar fhichead	43	dà fhichead 's a trì	63	trì fichead 's a trì	83	ceithir fichead 's a trì
24	fichead 's a ceithir ceithir air fhichead ceithir thar fhichead	44	dà fhichead 's a ceithir	64	tri fichead 's a ceithir	84	ceithir fichead 's a ceithir
25	fichead 's a còig còig air fhichead còig thar fhichead	45	dà fhichead 's a còig	65	trì fichead 's a còig	85	ceithir fichead 's a còig
26	fichead 's a sia sia air fhichead sai thar fhichead	46	dà fhichead 's a sia	66	trì fichead 's a sia	86	ceithir fichead 's a sia
27	fichead 's a seachd seachd air fhichead seachd thar fhichead	47	dà fhichead 's a seachd	67	trì fichead 's a seachd	87	ceithir fichead 's a seachd
28	fichead 's a h-ochd ochd air fhichead ochd thar fhichead	48	dà fhichead 's a h-ochd	68	trì fichead 's a h-ochd	88	ceithir fichead 's a h-ochd
29	fichead 's a naoi naoi air fhichead naoi thar fhichead	49	dà fhichead 's a naoi	69	trì fichead 's a naoi	89	ceithir fichead 's a naoi

Vigesimal 30-39, 50-59, 70-79, 90-99

Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic
30	deich air fhichead fichead 's a deich	50	dà fhichead 's a deich leth-cheud	70	trì fichead 's a deich	90	ceithir fichead 's a deich
31	aon deug air fhichead aon deug thar fhichead fichead 's a h-aon deug	51	dà fhichead 's a h-aon deug leth-cheud 's a h-aon	71	trì fichead 's a h-aon deug	91	ceithir fichead 's a h-aon deug
32	dà dheug air fhichead dà dheug thar fhichead fichead 's a dà dheug	52	dà fhichead 's a dà dheug leth-cheud 's a dhà	72	trì fichead 's a dà dheug	92	ceithir fichead 's a dà dheug
33	trì deug air fhichead trì deug thar fhichead fichead 's a trì deug	53	dà fhichead 's a trì deug leth-cheud 's a trì	73	trì fichead 's a trì deug	93	ceithir fichead 's a trì deug
34	ceithir deug air fhichead ceithir deug thar fhichead fichead 's a ceithir deug	54	dà fhichead 's a ceithir deug leth-cheud 's a ceithir	74	trì fichead 's a ceithir deug	94	ceithir fichead 's a ceithir deug
35	còig deug air fhichead còig deug thar fhichead fichead 's a còig deug	55	dà fhichead 's a còig deug leth-cheud 's a còig	75	trì fichead 's a còig deug	95	ceithir fichead 's a còig deug
36	sia deug air fhichead sia deug thar fhichead fichead 's a sia deug	56	dà fhichead 's a sia deug leth-cheud 's a sia	76	trì fichead 's a sia deug	96	ceithir fichead 's a sia deug
37	seachd deug air fhichead seachd deug thar fhichead fichead 's a seachd deug	57	dà fhichead 's a seachd deug leth-cheud 's a seachd	77	trì fichead 's a seachd deug	97	ceithir fichead 's a seachd deug
38	ochd deug air fhichead ochd deug thar fhichead fhichead 's a h-ochd deug	58	dà fhichead 's a h-ochd deug leth-cheud 's a h-ochd	78	trì fichead 's a h-ochd deug	98	ceithir fichead 's a h-ochd deug
39	naoi deug air fhichead naoi deug thar fhichead fhichead 's a naoi deug	59	dà fhichead 's a naoi deug leth-cheud 's a naoi	79	tri fichead 's a naoi deug	99	ceithir fichead 's a naoi deug

100+

• 100 ceud
• 120 sia fichead
• 140 seachd fichead
• 150
• 160 ochd fichead
• 180 naoi fichead
• 1000 mile
• 1999 naoi ceud deug ceithir fichead 's a naoi deug
• 2000 dà mhile
• 2002 dà mhile 's a dhà
• 6693 sia mile sia ceud ceithir fichead 's a tri deug
• 1,000,000 millean

Decimal System: when used to list phone numbers or count objects without naming them

Formally, when counting or listing phone numbers, each number is prefixed with the particle a^H (a h-aonan, a dha, a tri, a ceithir, a còig, a sia, a seachd, a h-ochd, a naoi, a deich, etc.) But this particle is rarely used anymore by speakers. Lamb (2003) reports that the particle is only really used on the Radio. The particle does, however appear as the last part of complex numbers such as ceithir fichead 's a tri (83)

0 to 19

• Numbers 0-10 are formed using simple numbers
• Numbers 11-19 are formed by taking the basic numbers 1-9 and attaching deug to the end of it.

Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic
0	neodi	10	deich
1	aonan/aona	11	aon deug
2	dhà	12	dà dheug
3	tri	13	tri deug
4	ceithir	14	ceithir deug
5	còig	15	còig deug
6	sia	16	sia deug
7	seachd	17	seachd deug
8	ochd	18	ochd deug
9	naoi	19	naoi deug

20-100

• In the decimal system

Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic
20	Fichead	30	trithead	40	ceathrad	50	leth-cheud caogad	60	seasgad	70	seachdad	80	ochdad	90	naochad
21	fichead 's a h-aon aon air fhichead aon thar fhichead	31	trithead 's a h-aon	41	ceathrad 's a h-aon	51	leth-cheud 's a h-aon caogad 's a h-aon	61	seasgad 's a h-aon	71	seachdad 's a h-aon	81	ochdad 's a h-aon	91	naochad 's a h-aon
22	fichead 's a dhà dà air fhichead dà thar fhichead	32	trithead 's a dha	42	ceathrad 's a dhà	52	leth-cheud 's a dhà caogad 's a dhà	62	seasgad 's a dhà	72	seachdad 's a dhà	82	ochdad 's a dhà	92	naochad 's a dhà
23	fichead 's a trì trì air fhichead trì thar fhichead	33	trithead 's a trì	43	ceathrad 's a trì	53	leth-cheud 's a trì caogad 's a trì	63	seasgad 's a trì	73	seachdad 's a trì	83	ochdad 's a trì	93	naochad 's a trì
24	fichead 's a ceithir ceithir air fhichead ceithir thar fhichead	34	trithead 's a ceithir	44	ceathrad 's a ceithir	54	leth-cheud 's a ceithir caogad 's a ceithir	64	seasgad 's a ceithir	74	seachdad 's a ceithir	84	ochdad 's a ceithir	94	naochad 's a ceithir
25	fichead 's a còig còig air fhichead còig thar fhichead	35	trithead 's a còig	45	ceathrad 's a còig	55	leth-cheud 's a còig caogad 's a còig	65	seasgad 's a còig	75	seachdad 's a còig	85	ochdad 's a còig	95	naochad 's a còig
26	fichead 's a sia sia air fhichead sai thar fhichead	36	trithead 's a sia	46	ceathrad 's a sia	56	leth-cheud 's a sia caogad 's a sia	66	seasgad 's a sia	76	seachdad 's a sia	86	ochdad 's a sia	96	naochad 's a sia
27	fichead 's a seachd seachd air fhichead seachd thar fhichead	37	trithead 's a seachd	47	ceathrad 's a sia	57	leth-cheud 's a seachd caogad 's a seachd	67	seasgad 's a sia	77	seachdad 's a seachd	87	ochdad 's a sia	97	naochad 's a seachd
28	fichead 's a h-ochd ochd air fhichead ochd thar fhichead	38	trithead 's a h-ochd	48	ceathrad 's a h-ochd	58	leth-cheud 's a h-ochd caogad 's a h-ochd	68	seasgad 's a h-ochd	78	seachdad 's a h-ochd	88	ochdad 's a h-ochd	98	naochad 's a h-ochd
29	fichead 's a naoi naoi air fhichead naoi thar fhichead	39	trithead 's a naoi	49	ceathrad 's a naoi	59	leth-cheud 's a naoi caogad 's a naoi	69	seasgad 's a naoi	79	seachdad 's a naoi	89	ochdad 's a naoi	99	naochad 's a naoi

100+

• 100 ceud
• 120 sia fichead
• 140 seachd fichead
• 150
• 160 ochd fichead
• 180 naoi fichead
• 1000 mile
• 1999 naoi ceud deug ceithir fichead 's a naoi deug
• 2000 dà mhile
• 2002 dà mhile 's a dhà
• 6693 sia mile sia ceud ceithir fichead 's a tri deug
• 1,000,000 millean

Important note about large numbers

Lamb (2003) based on research by Macaulay (1982) reports that for many speakers, large numbers, especially those that fall between the "scores" (120, 140 etc), are avoided and they will code switch to English.

When used with a noun

1 to 10

English	Gaelic	Takes	Example
1	aonL	singular	aon chat
2	dhàL/dàL		dà chat
3	tri1	plural	tri cait
4	ceithir		ceithir cait
5	còig		còig cait
6	sia		sia cait
7	seachd		seachd cait
8	ochd		ocht cait
9	naoi		naoi cait
10	deich		deich cait

¹In some dialects 3-5 also lenite the following noun.

11 to 19

English	Gaelic	Takes	Example
11	aonL X deug	singular	aon chat deug
12	dàL X deug		dà chat deug
13	tri X deug	plural	tri cait deug
14	ceithir X deug		ceithir cait deug
15	còig X deug		còig cait deug
16	sia X deug		sia cait deug
17	seachd X deug		seachd cait deug
18	ochd X deug		ocht cait deug
19	naoi X deug		naoi cait deug

Distributive Numbers

e.g. pair, dozen

Distributive Numbers for humans

Number	Gaelic
1	aonan/aonar/aon fear (m)
2	dithis/dithist (f)
3	triùir (f)
4	ceathrar (m)
5	còignear (m)
6	sianar (m)
7	seachdnar/seachdar (m)
8	ochdnar/ochdar (m)
9	naoinear (m)
10	deichnear/deineir (m)

Lamb: numbers over 1 take genitive case. dithis fhear

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers describe a position in a series of objects. In English these are numbers like first second, third

Number	Gaelic	Number	Gaelic
first	a' chiad	eleventh
second	an darna a dara	twelfth
third	an treas an trìtheamh an treasamh	thirteenth
fourth	an ceathramh	fourteenth
fifth	an còigeamh	fifteenth
sixth	an siathamh1	sixteenth
seventh	an seachdamh1	seventeenth
eighth	an t-ochdamh	eighteenth
ninth	an naoidheamh	nineteenth

¹. For some speakers these nouns are feminine and show up as an t-seachdamh and an t-siathamh, especially before other nouns

• an deicheamh 'tenth'
• am ficheadamh 'twentieth'

Other Numbers

Multiplicative Numbers

represents repetition (once, twice, thrice)

Partitive Numbers

expresses a fraction (half, quarter, third)

• leth 'half'

Integrative-Cumulative Numbers

refer to something made up for several parts single, double, triple

External Links

• Council Website on numbers

References

• Fisher, Muriel (2004) Scottish Gaelic: Level 1. Seattle: Each-Mara Publications
• Lamb, William (2003) Scottish Gaelic. Munich: Lincom Europa.
• Macaulay, Donald (1982) Aspects of register range and choice in Scottish Gaelic. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 35:25-48.
• Robertson, Boyd and Ian MacDonald (2004) Gaelic Dictionary. Teach Yourself books.