Numerals

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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").

When used to list phone numbers or count objects without naming them

1 to 19

Number Gaelic Number Gaelic
1 aonan 10 aon deug
2 dha 12 da 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
10 deich

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

Number Gaelic Number Gaelic Number Gaelic
20 Fichead 40 dà fhichead 60 tri fichead 80 ceithir fichead
21 fichead 's a aonan 41 da fhichead 's a aonan 61 tri fichead 's a aonan 81 ceithir fichead 's a aonan
22 fichead 's a dha 42 da fhichead 's a dha 62 tri fichead 's a dha 82 ceithir fichead 's a dha
23 fichead 's a tri 43 da fhichead 's a tri 63 tri fichead 's a tri 83 ceithir fichead 's a tri
24 fichead 's a ceithir 44 da fhichead 's a ceithir 64 tri fichead 's a ceithir 84 ceithir fichead 's a ceithir
25 fichead 's a còig 45 da fhichead 's a còig 65 tri fichead 's a còig 85 ceithir fichead 's a còig
26 fichead 's a sia 46 da fhichead 's a sia 66 tri fichead 's a sia 86 ceithir fichead 's a sia
7 seachd 17 seachd deug
8 ochd 18 ochd deug
9 naoi 19 naoi deug
10 deich

When used with a noun

1 to 10

English Gaelic Takes Example
1 aonL singular aon chat
2 dhaL/daL da chat
3 tri 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


Distributive Numbers

e.g. pair, dozen

Distributive Numbers for non-humans

Distributive Numbers for humans

Ordinal Numbers

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


Other Numbers

Multiplicative Numbers

represents repetition (once, twice, thrice)


Partitive Numbers

expresses a fraction (half, quarter, third)


Integrative-Cumulative Numbers

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