Numbers

9 phrases · Maasai with romanization, English and audio

  1. Nabo, are, uni

    One, two, three

    Usage

    Counts from one to three, the form used when counting aloud

    Grammar Note

    These are the feminine forms. With a masculine noun they become "obo" (1), "oare" (2) and "okuni" (3)

  2. Ong'uan, imiet, ile

    Four, five, six

    Usage

    Four to six, for prices and quantities

    Grammar Note

    The "ng'" in "ong'uan" is a back-of-the-tongue nasal

  3. Naapishana, isiet, naaudo, tomon

    Seven, eight, nine, ten

    Usage

    Seven to ten

    Grammar Note

    "naapishana" derives from a word meaning "which are odd". "naapishana" and "naaudo" are sometimes written shorter, "napishana" and "naudo"

  4. Tikitam, ntomoni uni, artam

    Twenty, thirty, forty

    Usage

    Twenty to forty

    Grammar Note

    20 and 40 are single words. 30 is built as "ntomoni" + "uni" (3), and the later tens follow the same pattern

  5. Onom, ntomoni ile, ntomoni naapishana

    Fifty, sixty, seventy

    Usage

    Fifty to seventy

    Grammar Note

    50 is the single word "onom". 60 and 70 put 6 and 7 after "ntomoni"

  6. Ntomoni isiet, ntomoni naaudo, iip nabo

    Eighty, ninety, one hundred

    Usage

    Eighty to one hundred

    Grammar Note

    80 and 90 put 8 and 9 after "ntomoni". 100 is "iip" (hundred) with "nabo" (one)

  7. Enchata nabo

    One thousand

    Usage

    Says one thousand, for large prices and counts

    Grammar Note

    "enchata" (thousand) is a feminine noun, so "one" takes the feminine form "nabo"

  8. Tomon oobo

    Eleven

    Usage

    Says eleven, built by joining the ones to the tens

    Grammar Note

    The ones follow the tens, joined by "o". A masculine numeral follows, so 1 is "obo"; "o" + "obo" is written "oobo"

  9. Aata ilarin tikitam oopishana

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    States your age; change the number part to your own age

    Grammar Note

    "aata" (I have) + "ilarin" (years) + a number. "tikitam oopishana" is 20 plus 7, i.e. 27. The numbers are joined with "o". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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