Counting in Minangkabau

Language overview

Forty-two in Minangkabau Minangkabau is an Austronesian language of the Malayan group, spoken by the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It counts about 5.5 million speakers.

Due to lack of data, we can only count accurately up to 100 in Minangkabau. Please contact me if you can help me counting up from that limit.

Minangkabau numbers list

  • 1 – ciek
  • 2 – duo
  • 3 – tigo
  • 4 – ampek
  • 5 – limo
  • 6 – anam
  • 7 – tujuah
  • 8 – salapan
  • 9 – sambilan
  • 10 – sapuluah
  • 11 – sabaleh
  • 12 – duo baleh
  • 13 – tigo baleh
  • 14 – ampek baleh
  • 15 – limo baleh
  • 16 – anam baleh
  • 17 – tujuah baleh
  • 18 – salapan baleh
  • 19 – sambilan baleh
  • 20 – duo puluah
  • 30 – tigo puluah
  • 40 – ampek puluah
  • 50 – limo puluah
  • 60 – anam puluah
  • 70 – tujuah puluah
  • 80 – salapan puluah
  • 90 – sambilan puluah
  • 100 – saratuih
  • 1,000 – saribu
  • one million – sajuta

Minangkabau 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).

  • Digits and numbers from one to eleven are specific words, namely ciek [1], duo [2], tigo [3], ampek [4], limo [5], anam [6], tujuah [7], salapan [8], sambilan [9], sapuluah [10], and sabaleh [11]. From twelve to nineteen, the compound numbers are formed by stating the unit then the word baleh separated with a space: duo baleh [12], tigo baleh [13], ampek baleh [14], limo baleh [15], anam baleh [16], tujuah baleh [17], salapan baleh [18], and sambilan baleh [19].
  • The tens are formed by stating the multiplier digit, then the word puluah separated with a space, except for ten: sapuluah [10], duo puluah [20], tigo puluah [30], ampek puluah [40], limo puluah [50], anam puluah [60], tujuah puluah [70], salapan puluah [80], and sambilan puluah [90].
  • Compound numbers are formed by stating the ten, then the unit separated with a space (e.g.: duo puluah limo [25], limo puluah salapan [58]).
  • The hundreds are formed by stating the multiplier digit, then the word ratuih separated with a space, except for one hundred: saratuih [100], duo ratuih [200], tigo ratuih [300], ampek ratuih [400], limo ratuih [500], anam ratuih [600], tujuah ratuih [700], salapan ratuih [800], and sambilan ratuih [900].
  • The thousands are formed the same way, i.e. by stating the multiplier digit, then the word ribu separated with a space, except for one thousand: saribu [1,000], duo ribu [2,000], tigo ribu [3,000], ampek ribu [4,000], limo ribu [5,000], anam ribu [6,000], tujuah ribu [7,000], salapan ribu [8,000], and sambilan ribu [9,000].
  • The millions are also formed the same way, i.e. by stating the multiplier digit, then the word for million (sajuta) separated with a space, except for one million itself: sajuta [1 million], duo sajuta [2 million], tigo sajuta [3 million]…

Write a number in full in Minangkabau

Let’s move now to the practice of the numbering rules in Minangkabau. 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

Parlons Minangkabau Parlons Minangkabau
by , editors L’Harmattan (2004)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

Dictionnaire minangkabau, indonésien, francais Dictionnaire minangkabau, indonésien, francais
by , editors L’Harmattan (1995)
[Amazon.com Amazon.com]

Source

Western Malayo-Polynesian languages

Indonesian, Malagasy, Minangkabau, and Sumbawa.

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.