Editor & Web Master

Dr. R.K.Gupta
rajbhasha@yahoo.com
rajbhasha@hotmail.com

CHAPTER XVIII
  1. Numerals are Adjectives indicating Number. They may be Cardinal, Ordinal, or Multiplicative.

  1. Cardinals are used for counting : ť `one fruit', ܽ ܽ `two horses', ܝܽ `three books,' ܾ ڟ `a hundred men'.

  2. Ordinals are used for denoting `position or order in a series'. ۥ `the first lesson', ڻܣ ܝ `the second book', ܣ ܣ `the thrid house'.

  3. Multiplicatives indicate multiplication : ںܺ `double', ۣܽ `two-fold', ڬ ܺ `ten-fold', ܾܺ `hundred-fold'.

  1. The Hindi Cardinals are as follows :

one ܽ two

three ܣ four

 five : six

seven eight

ܾ nine ڬ ten

ܣ eleven ܣ twelve

ܽ thirteen ܾ fourteen

ܛ fifteen ܽ sixteen

ܰ seventeen ܣ eighteen

nineteen twenty

ƈ twenty-one ܃Ĭ twenty-two

ܽĬ twenty-three ܾ twenty-four

܍ twenty-five twenty-six

܃Ĭ twenty-seven ܃Ĭ twenty-eight

() twenty-nine thirty

thirty-one thirty-two

thirty-three thirty-four

thirty-five thirty-six

thirty-seven thirty-eight

ܥ thirty-nine ܥ forty

ܥ forty-one ܡܥ forty-two

ܥ forty-three ܨܥ forty-four

ܥ forty-five ܥ forty-six

ܥ forty-seven ܥ forty-eight

ܬ forty-nine ܍ܬ fifty

ơܨܛ fifty-one ܨܛ fifty-two

ܣܛ (ܽܛ) fifty-three ܾܛ fifty-four

܍ܜܛ fifty-five ܛ fifty-six

ܨܛ fifty-seven ܨܛ fifty-eight

fifty-nine sixty

Ŭ sixty-one ܬ sixty-two

ܣ (ܽ) sixty-three sixty-four

sixty-five ܬ sixty-six

sixty-seven sixty-eight

ܣ sixty-nine ܣ seventy

ܣ seventy-one ܣ seventy-two

ܣ seventy-three ܾܣ seventy-four

܍ܣ (-) seventy-five ܣ seventy-six

ܣ (ܣ) seventy-seven ܣ seventy-eight

ܬ (ܬ) seventy-nine eighty

ơܬ eighty-one ܡܬ eighty-two

ܣܬ eighty-three ܾܬ eighty-four

܍ܬ eighty-five ܬ eighty-six

ܬ eighty-seven ܬ eighty-eight

ܨܬ eighty-nine ܝܽ ninety

ơܛܨܽ ninety-one ܛܨܽ ninety -two

ܣܛܨܽ ninety -three ܾܛܨܽ ninety-four

܍ܛܨܽ ninety-five ܛܨܽ ninety-six

ܛܨܽ ninety-seven ܛܨܽ () ninety-eight

ܨܛܨܽ ninety-nine ܾ hundred

ܻ zero () ܾ (one)hundred

ܽ ܾ two hundred ۏܣ thousand

܉ hundred thousand ڬ ܉} million

ţܽ ten million thousand million

ܣ hundred billion

(i) : `six' is also written as . However, or approximates the current Hindi pronunciation of the word.

    1. Above `hundred', the numbers proceed regularly :

ܾ 101, ܾ ܽ 102,

ܾ ܣ 304  ۏܣ ܽ ܾ ܍ 5225 etc.

Note:- There is no change in the form of the above numerals due to Gender or Case. As for Number, obviously, is Singular and the rest are Plural by nature,

  1. (a) Nouns denoting measure, weight etc., when preceded by a numeral or by an Adjective denoting indefinite number : (153), are used as Adjectives (of quantity) :

ܽ { Ŝ `two yards of cloth';

ܛ ܏ `three maunds of grain';

Ěܛ `a cart-load of fuel';

Ń ܽ ڻ `several seers of milk';

ܥܬ ܛ `a glass of water',

ܽ ܥܽ ܡ `two cups of tea'.

See also 83 and 156.

    1. A numeral + a noun denoting measure, weight etc. is treated as an Adjective also as regards the change of form due to Number and Case (but not Gender). Thus,

ܽ ܥܽ ڻ `two cups of milk', ܽţ ܟ `three basketfuls of mangoes', (ܥܽ : Masc. Pl. and ܽţ : Masc. Pl. like : Masc. Pl. like : Masc. Pl. (127-b); but ܽ ܥ ڻ, ܛ (like Fem. Plural :127-b, not ܹܡ, ܹ like š). Also, ܽ ܥܽ ڻ ܽ (not....ܥܽ ....), ܽţ ܟ ܽ (not ....ܽţܽ....): like Masc. Pl. in the oblique. However, when collective sense is intended, the Nouns retain the singular form : ܽţ ܟ, ܽ ܟ etc.

  1. Some of the regular numerals are replaced by Collective Adjectives (which are, in fact, Nouns of the same type as those referred to in 145 above). Thus ܽ or ܽ `pair'=ܽ, ܾ = ܣ, ܿ = , ƈ = , ڏě = dozen = ܣ, or ܽ==`score; = ܾ. These are treated as Nouns and may be qualified by the regular numerals: ܽ ܽ (or ܽ) `two pairs' = four, ܾ `three fours' = 12,  ڏě `five dozens' = 60, ڬ `ten scores' = 200, etc.

    2. is also used in the sense of `per hundred' or `per cent':

    ܟ ڬ ܡܽ ܈ܽ ۾ `mangoes are sold at ten Rupees per hundred',

    ܡܽ ܻ `interest at three Rupees per cent'.

    Note:- In accordance with 145 (b), ܽ, ܾ and ܾ (which are Masc.) may or may not change to ܽ, ܾ, and in the plural. ܿ and ƈ, however, change regularly to ܿܽ and ƈ. ܽ, and ܽ being Feminine, remain unchanged.

  2. Fractions are expressed as follows :-

1/4 = ܒ ܣ (one divided by four).

or ܨ (used mainly for denoting weights):

ܨ (ܽ) = 1/4 seer,

or ܾ܃ (or ܾ ܊ `quarter').

1/3 = ܒ or ܃ (or ܣ ܊) `one-third'.

1/2 = ܒ ܽ or ܚ `half'.

3/4 = ܒ ܣ or ܾ `three quarters'.

1/5 = ܒ  or ܨ ܊ `a fifth'.

    1. 1/4 = ܒ ܣ or ܨ `one and a quarter'.

    1. 1/2 = ܒ ܽ or ٽ `one and a half'.

    2. 1/2 = ܽ ܒ ܽ or ܃ `two and a half'.

    1. 3/4 = ܒ ܣ or ܾܽ ܽ `two less by a quarter'.

    2. 3/4 = ܽ ܒ ܣ or ܾܽ `three less by a quarter'.

    3. 1/4 = ܽ ܒ ܣ or ܨ ܽ `two and a quarter'.

܁....`and a half' is attached to three, four and above.

܁ `three and a half', ܁ ܣ `four and a half' etc.

  1. The system of denoting fractions is used also in denoting fractions of hundred, thousasnd, ten thousand, ten million and thousand million. Thus,

    2. ܨ ܾ = 125 (literally `a hundred and its quarter'), ٽ ܾ = 150 (`a hundred and its half'), ܃ ܾ = 250 (`two hundred + half a hundread'), ٽ ۏܣ = 1,500, ܨ ܽ ܉ = 2,25,000, ܃ ţܽ = 2,50,00,000, ܁ ܣ ۏܣ = 4,500.

  2. ܽ, ܊ܞ܊ or ܡ : placed before a numeral or placed after it denotes approximation :

    3. ܽ ܍ܬ (܍ܬܽ) ڟ `about fifty persons' [111(iii)and 287(d)]

    ܊ܞ܊  ܾ `a crowd of about five hundred',

    ܡ: ܽ ܾ ܫ ۺ `about two hundred years ago',

    ܽ ܥ (ܥܽ) ܇ `about forty boys have come',

  3. Certain pairs of numerals also denote approximation (App. III 5-C) :

  1. ܽ- `one or two', ܽ-, -ܣ, ܣ- , -: etc.

  2. ڬ -ܿ, ڬ-, ڬ-ܛ͏, -܍ , -, -, -ܥ-ܥ, ܥ-܍ܬ, ܍ܬ-܍ܜܛ, ܍ܬ-.

  3. ܾ-ܨ-ܾ, ܾ-ٽ ܾ, ܾ-ܽ ܾ, ܽ ܃ ܾ, ܽ- ܾ.

  1. ť and ܈ both meaning `lonely, single', and ںť meaning `not alone, not lonely, companioned (by one person)' are noteworthy.

  2. ܚ, ť and ںť are affected by Gender, Number and Case like ordinary -ending Adjectives:

    3. ܚ, ܚܽ, ť, ťܽ, ںť, ںťܽ etc.

    ܈ has ܹś in Feminine. changes to in Plural and Oblique.

  3. The following Adjectives denote indefinite number :

    4. Ŏ `some, a few' (also quantity `a little') (111-ii).

    ۺ `many, a large number' (also quantity `much, a great deal').

    ۺ-ܽ `a good many, several'. See 128 b (ii)

    ܽ `a few'.

    -ܽ `only a few'. See 128 b (ii)

    Ń `many, several'.

    Ń `several'.

    ܝ `all',

    ܞ `all' (emphatic).

    ܣ `all'.

    ܾ `more, additional'.

  4. A numeral repeated denotes `...........at a time' or `........per piece, per head, per day' etc. :

    5. ܽ-ܽ ܽ ܽ ܛܽ ܽ `let two boys come at a time'.

    ܽ - ť ܽ `give three fruits to each boy'.

    - ܟ ܽ-ܽ ܛܽ ܽ ܥ ۾ `mangoes are selling two annas a piece'.

    But - means also `all, every one, each one':

    - ܽ ڽ ܻ `I will see each one (of you )!,

  5. ܽ attached to a numeral denotes aggregation. In case of ܽ, ܽ instead of ܽ is attached :

ܽܽ both

ܽ all the three

ܣܽ all the four

ܽ all the five

ܽ all the six

ܽ all the seven

ܽ all the eight

ܨܽ all the nine

ڬܽ all the ten

ܽ all the twenty

ܽ all the thirty.

    1. These are not Plurals, but `aggregatives'.

    2. These forms are not affected by Gender and Case :

ܽ ܽ, ܽ ܽ, šܽ ܽ, šܽ ܽ etc.

  1. A large but indefinite number is denoted by ڹܡܽ `tens', ܡܽ `twenties, scores', ܍ܡܽ, ܍ܬܽ, ܽ, ۏܣܽ, ܉ܽ, ţܽܽ, (but ܽ, ܥܽ ܽ etc. are not used).

    2. These forms which may be called `Multitudinous', are not affected by Gender and Case. Notice the difference between ڬܽ and ڹܡܽ, ܽ and ܡܽ etc. ڬܽ denotes `several tens', ܽ denotes `all twenty', ܡܽ denotes `several scores'.

    Nouns signifying duration, and those signifying measure, weight etc. assume similar forms when a large and indefinite number or quantity is denoted (83). This ܽ may be regarded as the obliquePlural sign used for the direct Plural (93).

    ܽ ܇ `a number of months passed'.

    ܣܽ ܽ ܡܽ `a number of years elapsed'.

    ܛܽ ڻ `maunds and maunds of milk',

    ܹܽ ܏ `cart-loads of grain',

    ܽŹܽ ť `basketfuls of fruits',

    ܛܽ, ܹܽ and ܽŹܽ are, obviously, adjectival.

    But all these Nouns can have only the direct Plural form when preceded by a numeral or by an Adjective denoting an indefinite number. Thus ܽ, Ń ܣ. Nouns denoting measure etc., when preceded by a numeral, from their Plural in accordance with 145-b : ܽ ܛ ڻ, ܏ etc.

  2. Ordinals : The first nine ordinals are -

ۥ `first', ڻܣ `second',

ܣ `third', ܾ `fourth',

ܨ `fifth', `sixth',

ܨ `seventh' ب `eithth',

ܨ `ninth', ڬܨ `tenth',

ܣۨ `eleventh', ܣۨ `twelfth',

ܨ `twentieth', ƈܨ `twenty-first',

܍ܬܨ `fiftieth', ܾ `hundredth'.

From seven onwards is added to numerals.

  1. These are affected by Gender, Number and Case like ordinary

    2. -ending Adjectives :

    ۥ, ۥܽ, ܾ, ܾܽ etc.

  2. They can be used as Pronouns :

    3. ڻܣ `another, besides, the second',

    ܣ `the third.'

  3. The Sanskrit ordinals Ϙܟ `first', `second', ܼ `third' etc. are also in use, particularly in literary Hindi : Ϙܟ `first division', ܺ Ů `fourth class' (in a school), ܡܽک ܹ `the thirteenth chapter' etc.

  4. Both Sanskrit and Hindi ordinals are in use for denoting the dates of each half of the month (according to the Indian calendar).

    5. The dates of the bright half of the month are referred to by prefixing the word ܺƥ or by appending the word ܺ to the numeral. For referring to dates of the dark half, the word ū is prefixed, or the word appended.

    The first of each half is Ϲܜ (Skt.) or , ܹ, ܣ (Hindi). The fifteenth of the dark half (i.e. the new-moon day) is ܨܬ or ܨܬ (Skt. ܨܬ) and of the bright half (i.e. the full-moon day) is ܻğ, ܻğܬ (Skt.) ܻܟܬ or ܻܽ. The remaining thirteen days of each half are named as follows :-

    Sanskrit Hindi

    2nd ׾, ڻ

    3rd ܼ

    4th ܺ ܾ

    5th ܑܟ ܿܽ

    6th ܫ

    7th ܜܟ ܽ

    8th ؽ

    9th ܨܟ ܾ

    10th کܟ ڬܟ

    11th ک ڬ

    12th ک ڬ

    13th ܡܽک ܽ

    14th ܺĩ ܾڬ

    Some of tthe Hindi names given above are only used in certain area and in others ܿܟ, ܹܟ, , ںڬ etc. are prevalent.

    Dates of the months according to the Western calendar are denoted by the regular Feminine forms of the Hindi ordinal : ۥ, ڻܣ, ܣ etc. These are, of course, Adjectives qualifyingthe Noun ܣ `date' which may be implied or expressed.

  5. ۥ denotes also `foremost' or `most important'. With reference to `age' or `era', it may denote `by-gone' or `early': ۥܽ ܺ (or {ܟܛܽ) ܽ `in the early (or by-gone) age'.

  6. For denoting relative ages of brothers, sisters etc., the following Adjectives are inuse () `the eldest', ܥ (ܥ) `second' (only in some Hindi areas), ¿ܥ (ܥ) `the third', ܽ (ܽ) `the youngest'.

  7. For denoting relative sizes, the following Adjectives are in use: `big', ܽ or ܥ `middling', ܽ `small',

  8. For denoting position etc. the following Adjectives are used:

ܥ `fore, front', ܎ `back, hind', ܍ܥ `middle, intermediate'

ܟ `last', ܹ}ܣ `last, final'.

  1. Multiplicatives are formed by attaching ܺ (`multiplied by') to the numerals. The numerals 2 to 8 are slightly modified : ںܺ, ںܛ or ڻ `double', ܊ܺ `three-fold', ܿ܊ܺ `five -fold', ܺ `six -fold', ܊ܺ `seven-fold', ؊ܺ `eight-fold'. After ؊ܺ the forms are regular. ܾܺ `nine-fold', ڬ܊ܺ `ten-fold', ܾܺ `hundred-fold'.

    1. These changes are like ordinary -ending Adjectives in Feminine, Plural and oblique : ܊ܺ, ܊ܺܽ etc.

    2. ܺ may be attached also to fractions (more than one):

ܨ ܺ = 1 1/4 times as much.

ٽ ܺ = 1 1/2 times as much.

܃ ܺ = 2 1/2 times as much.

  1. ۣ `single, not double or multiple, lean', ۣܽ `two-fold, stout', and ۣ, ۣܽ `treble, three-fold', ܾۣ `quadruple, four-fold', ܨܡ `1 1/4 times as much' and áܽ ` one half as much', are special forms. See Append. I 9(12).

  2. The pronominal Adjectives ܛ, ܛ, ܛ etc., when used in plural, may denote indefinite number. See 137 (ii).

  3. In numeration, units = ܃, tens = ܃, hundreds=܈, thousands =ۏܣ etc.

  4. The words Ϲ and prefixed to a numeral denote `per': Ϲ () ܾ `per hundred', Ϲ () ۏܣ `per thousand'. But ܽ (Ϲ+) or ۣ (ۣ + ) `everyone'.

    5. (For weights, measures, names of days and months etc., see Appendix

    IV-3-8).

  5. signifies also `a certain' : ڛ `one dya', ܣ `once upon a time', ڟ `a certain man'.