Numbers

1. Rimwe, kabiri, gatatu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   The counting forms; with a noun the numeral changes to agree with its class

   Grammar Note

   rimwe, kabiri, gatatu are the counting forms; for people they become umwe, babiri, batatu

2. Kane, gatanu, gatandatu

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   The counting forms; the same words appear in weekdays, such as ku wa kane (Thursday)

   Grammar Note

   kane, gatanu, gatandatu are the counting forms

3. Indwi, umunani, icenda

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   These differ from the Kinyarwanda karindwi and icyenda

   Grammar Note

   indwi (seven), umunani (eight), icenda (nine); indwi also means "week"

4. Cumi

   Ten

   Usage

   The counting form is cumi; with a noun it can appear as icumi

   Grammar Note

   cumi is "ten", shorter than the Kinyarwanda icumi

5. Cumi na rimwe, cumi na kabiri

   Eleven, twelve

   Usage

   Tens + na (and) + units

   Grammar Note

   cumi na rimwe (11), cumi na kabiri (12); before a vowel na becomes n', as in cumi n'icenda (19)

6. Mirongo ibiri

   Twenty

   Usage

   Twenty is built as "two tens"

   Grammar Note

   mirongo is the plural "tens" followed by the numeral ibiri; mirongo itatu is 30

7. Mirongo itatu, mirong'ine

   Thirty, forty

   Usage

   mirongo + numeral; for 40 the final o drops before a vowel, giving mirong'ine

   Grammar Note

   mirongo itatu (30), mirong'ine (40); 50 is mirong'itanu

8. Ijana, igihumbi

   One hundred, one thousand

   Usage

   Used for prices and years

   Grammar Note

   ijana (hundred) and igihumbi (thousand) are nouns; add numbers as in igihumbi n'amajana atanu (1,500)

9. Amajana abiri na mirongo itanu

   Two hundred and fifty

   Usage

   Used for prices

   Grammar Note

   amajana (plural hundreds) + abiri (two) + na (and) + mirongo itanu (fifty)

10. Mfise imyaka mirongo ibiri n'indwi

    I am 27 years old

    Usage

    How to state your age

    Grammar Note

    m- (I) + -fise (have) + imyaka (years) + number: literally "I have 27 years"

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