Counting in Inari Sami

Language overview

Forty-two in Inari Sami Inari Sami (anarâškielâ) belongs to the Uralic family, in the Finno-Ugric group. It is spoken by the Inari Sami of Finland (in the municipality of Inari) by about 300 speakers.

Inari Sami numbers list

  • 1 – ohtâ
  • 2 – kyehti
  • 3 – kulmâ
  • 4 – nelji
  • 5 – vittâ
  • 6 – kuttâ
  • 7 – čiččâm
  • 8 – käävci
  • 9 – oovce
  • 10 – love
  • 11 – ohtunubáloh
  • 12 – kyehtnubáloh
  • 13 – kulmânubáloh
  • 14 – neljinubáloh
  • 15 – vittânubáloh
  • 16 – kuttânubáloh
  • 17 – čiččâmnubáloh
  • 18 – käävcinubáloh
  • 19 – oovcenubáloh
  • 20 – kyehtlov
  • 30 – kulmâlov
  • 40 – neljilov
  • 50 – vittlov
  • 60 – kuttlov
  • 70 – čiččâmlov
  • 80 – kähcilov
  • 90 – ohcelov
  • 100 – čyeđe
  • 1,000 – tuhhát
  • one million – miljon

Inari Sami numbering rules

Now that you’ve had a gist of the most useful numbers, let’s move to the writing rules for the tens, the compound numbers, and why not the hundreds, the thousands and beyond (if possible).

  • Numbers from one to ten are specific words: ohtâ [1], kyehti [2], kulmâ [3], nelji [4], vittâ [5], kuttâ [6], čiččâm [7], käävci [8], oovce [9], and love [10].
  • From eleven to nineteen, the numbers are formed by suffixing the unit root with a form of the word for ten (nubáloh from love, ten): ohtunubáloh (or ohtânubaloh) [11], kyehtnubáloh [12], kulmânubáloh [13], neljinubáloh [14], vittânubáloh [15], kuttânubáloh [16], čiččâmnubáloh [17], käävcinubáloh [18], and oovcenubáloh [19].
  • The tens are formed by suffixing the multiplier digit with the word for ten (lov(e)), with the exception of ten itself: love [10], kyehtlov [20], kulmâlov [30], neljilov [40], vittlov [50], kuttlov [60], čiččâmlov [70], kähcilov [80], and ohcelov [90].
  • Compound numbers are formed by saying the ten, then the digit with no space (e.g.: kyehtlovnelji [24], neljilovkuttâ [46]).
  • Hundreds are formed by setting the multiplier unit before the word for hundred (čyeđe, or čyet), with no space, with the exception of one hundred itself: čyeđe (or tčyehti) [100], kyehtičyede [200], kulmâčyede [300], neljičyede [400], vittâčyede [500], kuttâčyeđe [600], čiččâmčyeđe [700], käävcičyeđe [800], and oovcečyeđe [900].
  • Thousands are formed by setting the multiplier unit before the word for thousand (tuhhát) with no space, with the exception of one thousand itself: tuhhát (or tuhháát) [1,000], kyehttuhhát [2,000], kulmâtuhhát [3,000], neljituhhát [4,000], vittâtuhhát [5,000], kuttâtuhhát [6,000], čiččâmtuhhát [7,000], käävcituhhát [8,000], and oovcetuhhát [9,000].
  • Millions are formed by setting the multiplier unit before the word for million (miljon, plural miljona) separated with a space, with the exception of one million itself: miljon [1 million], kyehti miljona [2 million], kulmâ miljona [3 million], nelji miljona [4 million], vittâ miljona [5 million]…

Write a number in full in Inari Sami

Let’s move now to the practice of the numbering rules in Inari Sami. Will you guess how to write a number in full? Enter a number and try to write it down in your head, or maybe on a piece of paper, before displaying the result.

Books

The Sami People: Traditions in Transitions The Sami People: Traditions in Transitions
by , editors University of Alaska Press (2005)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

Parlons Lapon : Les Sames, langue et culture Parlons Lapon : Les Sames, langue et culture
by , editors L’Harmattan (1997)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

Sources

Sami languages

Inari Sami, Lule Sami, Northern Sami, Pite Sami, Skolt Sami, Southern Sami, and Ume Sami.

Other supported languages

As the other currently supported languages are too numerous to list extensively here, please select a language from the full list of supported languages.