Swahili Numbers

Welcome to the sixth Swahili lesson about numbers. This time we will learn about cardinal and ordinal numbers, followed by grammar rules, then animal names, finally a conversation in Swahili to help you practice your daily phrases.

Cardinal and Ordinal - Swahili
one mmoja
first kwanza
two mbili
second pili
three tatu
third wa tatu
four nne
fourth wa nne
five tano
fifth wa tano
six sita
sixth wa sita
seven saba
seventh wa saba
eight nane
eighth wa nane
nine tisa
ninth tisa
ten kumi
tenth kumi
eleven kumi na moja
eleventh kumi na moja
twelve kuma na mbili
twelfth kumi na mbili
thirteen kumi na tatu
thirteenth kumi na tatu
fourteen kumi na nne
once mara moja
fifteen kumi na tano
twice mara mbili
sixteen kumi na sita
Monday jumatatu
seventeen kumi na saba
Tuesday jumanne
eighteen kumi na nane
Wednesday jumatano
nineteen kumi na tisa
Thursday alhamisi
twenty ishirini
Friday ijumaa
seventy one sabini na moja
Saturday jumamosi
one hundred mia
Sunday jumapili

Numbers Grammar Rules

Swahili cardinal numbers refer to the counting numbers, because they show quantity. For example: I speak two languages. Ordinal numbers on the other hand tell the order of things and their rank: my first language is Swahili. The examples below use numbers in different ways and places to demonstrate how they behave in a sentence.

Grammar + Rules - Swahili
I have three dogs [number + noun] nina mbwa watatu
my daughter has two cats [number + noun] binti yangu ana paka wawili
she speaks seven languages [verb + number] anafahamu lugha saba
my brother has one son [number + singular noun] ndugu yangu ana mtoto mmoja
this is my second lesson [ordinal number + noun] hili ni somo langu la pili
did you read the third book? [ordinal number + noun] je, ulisoma kitabu ya tatu?

We're not done yet! The following is a list of animals.

cow ng'ombe

goat mbuzi

donkey punda

horse farasi

dog mbwa

cat paka

mouse panya

bird ndege

Conversation in Swahili

Now we finally reach the last part, the practice of the daily conversations. These phrases are used to get to know new people, and break the ice.

English - Swahili
Where are you from? unatoka nchi gani?
I'm from the U.S mimi ninatoka amerika
I'm American mimi ni mmarekani
Where do you live? unaishi wapi?
I live in the U.S ninaishi amerika
What do you do for a living? unafanya kazi gani?
I'm a student mimi ni mwanafunzi

Did you enjoy this lesson about numbers in Swahili? I hope so, if you have any problem with this lesson contact me with questions you have homepage. You can now check the next lesson below.