Numbers in Yao



Learn numbers in Yao

Knowing numbers in Yao is probably one of the most useful things you can learn to say, write and understand in Yao. Learning to count in Yao 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 Yao is the most widely spoken language, and you want to be able to shop and even bargain with a good knowledge of numbers in Yao.

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 Yao?

The Yao language (chiYao), or ciYao, is a Bantu language that belongs to the Niger–Congo language family. Spoken in Malawi (where its main dialect is Mangochi), Tanzania and Mozambique (where its main dialects are Makale and Massaninga), the Yao language counts about 3.1 million speakers.Due to lack of data, we can only count accurately up to 1,000 in Yao. Please contact me if you can help me counting up from that limit.

List of numbers in Yao

Here is a list of numbers in Yao. We have made for you a list with all the numbers in Yao 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 Yao. We also close the list by showing you what the number 1000 looks like in Yao.

  • 1) cimo
  • 2) iwili
  • 3) itatu
  • 4) ncece
  • 5) nsano
  • 6) nsano nacimo
  • 7) nsano nawili
  • 8) nsano naitatu
  • 9) nsano nancece
  • 10) likumi
  • 11) likumi kwisa cimo
  • 12) likumi kwisa iwili
  • 13) likumi kwisa itatu
  • 14) likumi kwisa ncece
  • 15) likumi kwisa nsano
  • 16) likumi kwisa nsano nacimo
  • 17) likumi kwisa nsano naiwili
  • 18) likumi kwisa nsano naitatu
  • 19) likumi kwisa nsano nancece
  • 20) makumi gawili
  • 30) makumi gatatu
  • 40) makumi ncece
  • 50) makumi nsano
  • 60) makumi nsano nalimo
  • 70) makumi nsano nagawili
  • 80) makumi nsano nagatatu
  • 90) makumi nsano nancece
  • 100) licila
  • 1,000) macila likumi

Numbers in Yao: Yao numbering rules

Each culture has specific peculiarities that are expressed in its language and its way of counting. The Yao is no exception. If you want to learn numbers in Yao 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 Yao with ease.

The way numbers are formed in Yao is easy to understand if you follow the rules explained here. Surprise everyone by counting in Yao. Also, learning how to number in Yao 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 Yao 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 Yao

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  • Digits from one to five are rendered by specific words, then Yao follows a quinary numbering system where digits from six to nine are based on five: cimo [1], iwili [2], itatu [3], ncece [4], nsano [5], nsano nacimo [6] (5+1), nsano nawili [7] (5+2) (nsano naiwili when compound), nsano naitatu [8] (5+3), and nsano nancece [9] (5+4).
  • Tens are formed starting with the plural form of the word for ten (likumi in singular, and makumi in plural) and the multiplier digit root with the prefix ga- from twenty to fifty, the consonant change -ci- to -li- for sixty, the infix -ga- for seventy and eighty, and another infix change for ninety, ten being left in its singular fom, with no multiplier: likumi [10], makumi gawili [20], makumi gatatu [30], makumi ncece [40], makumi nsano [50], makumi nsano nalimo [60], makumi nsano nagawili [70], makumi nsano nagatatu [80], and makumi nsano nancece [90].
  • Compound numbers are formed starting with the ten, followed by the word kwisa, and the unit (e.g.: likumi kwisa nsano [15], makumi gawili kwisa nsano naitatu [28]).
  • Hundreds are formed starting with the plural form of the word for hundred (licila in singular, and macila in plural) and the multiplier digit root with the prefix ga- for two hundred and three hundred, an additive pattern from six hundred to eight hundred (even if an infixed form can coexist sometimes), and an infix change for nine hundred, the number one hundred being left in its singular fom, with no multiplier: licila [100], macila gawili [200], macila gatatu [300], macila ncece [400], macila nsano [500], macila nsano kwisa cimo [600], macila nsano kwisa gawili (or macila nsano nagawili) [700], macila nsano kwisa gatatu (or macila nsano nagatatu) [800], and macila nsano nancece [900].
  • One thousand is macila likumi [1,000], or litterally ten hundreds.
  • A Numeração em Moçambique, by Paulus Gerdes (in Portuguese)
  • Numbers in different languages