Numbers

1. Go'o, ɗiɗi, tati.

   One, two, three

   Usage

   The counting form for things and animals. Counting people uses different forms: gooto, ɗiɗo, tato

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary example under go'o is literally "Go'o, ɗiɗi, tati, nayi." (one, two, three, four). ɗiɗi = two (non-humans), ɗiɗo = two (humans); likewise tati/tato. The guide OCR misreads ɗiɗi as didi.

2. Nayi, jowi, jeego'o.

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   The form for counting things. From six on, numbers are built as "five + n"

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary nayi (variant nay) = "quatre", jowi = "cinq", jeego'o (= jowi e go'o) = "six". The numerals combine a base-5 and base-10 system. The guide writes jeego; the dictionary writes jeego'o.

3. Jeeɗiɗi, jeetati, jeenay.

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   The form for counting things. Seven is "five + two", eight is "five + three"

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary jeeɗiɗi (= jowi e ɗiɗi) = "sept", jeetati (= jowi e tati) = "huit", jeenay (variant jeenayi) = "neuf".

4. Sappo.

   Ten

   Usage

   The basic word for ten; hold up all your fingers

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary sappo = num. "dix". Numbers from 11 up are joined with e, as in sappo e go'o.

5. Teemedere, wuluure.

   One hundred, one thousand

   Usage

   The Guinean franc has large amounts, so thousands come up often

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary teemedere = num. "cent", wuluure (plural guluuje) = num. "mille". How larger sums are said has not been verified.

6. Sappo e go'o, sappo e ɗiɗi.

   Eleven, twelve

   Usage

   The tens and ones are joined with e ("and")

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary example under go'o: "Sappo e go'o." (Onze). Sappo e ɗiɗi follows the same pattern as "sappo e jeetati" (18), which is attested. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar (not yet checked by a native speaker).

7. Sappo e jeetati.

   Eighteen

   Usage

   For ages and dates

   Grammar Note

   Attested in the Bah dictionary example under laamagol: "Alfaa mo Timmbo laamii duuɓi sappo e jeetati." (Alpha of Timbo ruled for eighteen years).

8. Noogay.

   Twenty

   Usage

   Twenty has its own word; from thirty up the tens are cappanɗe

   Grammar Note

   Bah dictionary noogay = num. "vingt".

9. Noogay e jowi.

   Twenty-five

   Usage

   Numbers in the twenties follow noogay with e and the ones digit

   Grammar Note

   Attested in the Bah dictionary example under janngo: "…naɓu portorooɓe noogay e jowi janngo kiikiiɗe…" (bring twenty-five porters tomorrow evening).

10. Cappanɗe tati.

    Thirty

    Usage

    From thirty up, the tens are cappanɗe followed by the digit

    Grammar Note

    Taken verbatim from the Bah dictionary examples under cappanɗe: "Cappanɗe tati." (Trente) and "Cappanɗe nayi." (Quarante).

11. Cappanɗe jowi e jowi.

    Fifty-five

    Usage

    The tens and ones are joined with e

    Grammar Note

    Attested in the Bah dictionary example under ngurndan: "…ko duuɓi cappanɗe jowi e jowi." (his life lasted fifty-five years).

12. Mi jogii duuɓi noogay e jeeɗiɗi.

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    Says your age; replace the number with your own. The question is Ko duuɓi jelu jogi-ɗaa?

    Grammar Note

    Answers the Bah question "Ko duuɓi jelu jogi-ɗaa?" (how old are you?) with jogii and a numeral; the numeral part is dictionary-attested. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar (not yet checked by a native speaker).

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