Numbers in Welsh

This table shows the cardinal and ordinal numbers in Welsh with vigesimal and decimal numbers and notes. The decimal system is widely used, although not so much for dates and ages.

Key to abbreviations: m = masculine, f = feminine

If any of the numbers are links, you can hear a recording by clicking on them. If you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Hear some Welsh numbers:

Notes

• un triggers soft mutation in feminine nouns, e.g. un delyn (one harp)
• dau and dwy (two) trigger soft mutation in nouns, and take a soft mutation when preceded by the definite article y, e.g. dau gi (two dogs), dwy gath (two cats), y ddau geffyl (the two horses), y ddwy ddafad (the two sheep).
• tri (three) causes aspirate mutation in nouns, though this is often omitted in colloquial speech, e.g. tri chi (three dogs).
• pump (five) becomes pum when followed directly by a noun, e.g. pum cath (five cats), but pump o gathod
• chwech (six) becomes chwe and triggers aspirate mutation when followed directly by a singular noun, e.g. chwe chath (five cats)
• When counting things deg (10) becomes deng, e.g. deng munud (10 minutes). This also applies when it is part of a compound, e.g. deuddeng mlynedd (12 years).
• In ordinal numbers greater than 10 the thing counted is placed between the first and second parts of the number, e.g. unfed benod ar hugain (21st chapter). The traditional ordinal numbers above 31 are not commonly used in colloquial Welsh.

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Links

Numbers in Welsh
http://www.sf.airnet.ne.jp/~ts/language/number/traditional_welsh.html
http://www.sf.airnet.ne.jp/~ts/language/number/modern_welsh.html
http://clwbmalucachu.co.uk/cmc/cheat/cheat_numerals.htm
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/cymorthcymraeg/dyddiadau.php.en

Numbers in Celtic languages

Proto-Celtic, Celtiberian, Gaulish, Proto-Brythonic, Cumbric, Old Welsh, Middle Welsh, Welsh, Middle Cornish, Cornish, Old Breton, Middle Breton, Breton Old Irish, Middle Irish, Irish, Manx, Scottish Gaelic

Numbers in other languages

Alphabetical index | Language family index

Information about Welsh | Phrases (serious) | Phrases (silly) | Numbers | Family words | Terms of endearment | Colours | Time | Dates | Weather | Idioms | Proverbs | Tongue twisters | Songs | Tower of Babel | Coelbren y Beirdd (Bardic alphabet) | Braille for Welsh | Links | My podcast about Welsh | Comparison of Celtic languages | Celtic cognates | Celtiadur | Books about Welsh on: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk [affilate links]

[top]

---

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.

 

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

 

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]