Numbers in Kristang



Learn numbers in Kristang

Knowing numbers in Kristang is probably one of the most useful things you can learn to say, write and understand in Kristang. Learning to count in Kristang may appeal to you just as a simple curiosity or be something you really need. Perhaps you have planned a trip to a country where Kristang is the most widely spoken language, and you want to be able to shop and even bargain with a good knowledge of numbers in Kristang.

It's also useful for guiding you through street numbers. You'll be able to better understand the directions to places and everything expressed in numbers, such as the times when public transportation leaves. Can you think of more reasons to learn numbers in Kristang?

Kristang, or Papia Kristang, also known as Cristão, Cristan (“Christian”), Portugues di Melaka (“Malacca Portuguese”), Linggu Maiis (“Mother Tongue”), or Portugis, is a Malayo-Portuguese Creole, spoken by the Kristang community in the state of Malacca, Malaysia, and in Singapore. Much of its vocabulary comes from Portuguese, with some derived from Chinese, Indian and Malay languages to varying degrees. Kristang counts about one thousand speakers.

List of numbers in Kristang

Here is a list of numbers in Kristang. We have made for you a list with all the numbers in Kristang from 1 to 20. We have also included the tens up to the number 100, so that you know how to count up to 100 in Kristang. We also close the list by showing you what the number 1000 looks like in Kristang.

• 1) ngua
• 2) dos
• 3) tres
• 4) kuatu
• 5) singku
• 6) sez
• 7) seti
• 8) oitu
• 9) novi
• 10) des
• 11) onzi
• 12) dozi
• 13) trezi
• 14) katorzi
• 15) kinzi
• 16) dises
• 17) diseti
• 18) disoitu
• 19) disnovi
• 20) binti
• 30) trinta
• 40) korenta
• 50) singkuenta
• 60) sesenta
• 70) satenta
• 80) oitenta
• 90) noventa
• 100) sentu
• 1,000) mil

Numbers in Kristang: Kristang numbering rules

Each culture has specific peculiarities that are expressed in its language and its way of counting. The Kristang is no exception. If you want to learn numbers in Kristang you will have to learn a series of rules that we will explain below. If you apply these rules you will soon find that you will be able to count in Kristang with ease.

The way numbers are formed in Kristang is easy to understand if you follow the rules explained here. Surprise everyone by counting in Kristang. Also, learning how to number in Kristang yourself from these simple rules is very beneficial for your brain, as it forces it to work and stay in shape. Working with numbers and a foreign language like Kristang at the same time is one of the best ways to train our little gray cells, so let's see what rules you need to apply to number in Kristang

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Digits from one to nine are rendered by specific words: ngua [1], dos [2], tres [3], kuatu [4], singku [5], sez [6], seti [7], oitu [8], and novi [9].

Numbers from eleven to fifteen are also rendered by specific words: onzi [11], dozi [12], trezi [13], katorzi [14], and kinzi [15]. From sixteen to nineteen, the numbers are formed starting with the word for ten (des), directly followed by the unit: dises [16] (10+6), diseti [17] (10+7), disoitu [18] (10+8), and disnovi [19] (10+9).

Tens are irregular from ten to thirty, then formed adding the suffix enta to the multiplier digit: des [10], binti [20], trinta [30], korenta [40], singkuenta [50], sesenta [60], satenta [70], oitenta [80], and noventa [90].

Above twenty, compound numbers are formed starting with the ten, followed by the unit separated by a space (e.g.: trinta oitu [38], satenta sez [76]).

Hundreds are formed starting with the multiplier digit, then the word for hundred (sentu) separated with a space, except for one hundred: sentu [100], dos sentu [200], tres sentu [300], kuatu sentu [400], singku sentu [500], sez sentu [600], seti sentu [700], oitu sentu [800], and novi sentu [900]. When compound, one hundred turns into nsentu (e.g.: nsentu ngua [101], nsentu binti [120]).

Thousands are formed starting with the multiplier digit, then the word for thousand (mil) separated with a space: (ngua) mil [1,000], dos mil [2,000], tres mil [3,000], kuatu mil [4,000], singku mil [5,000], sez mil [6,000], seti mil [7,000], oitu mil [8,000], and novi mil [9,000].

The word for million is miliang. Millions follow the same pattern as thousands: ngua miliang [1 million], dos miliang [2 millions], tres miliang [3 millions]…

A grammar of Kristang (Malacca Creole Portuguese), by Alan N. Baxter (pdf)