Learning Numbers in Hindi

India is one of the ancient civilizations. Even in the ancient times knowledge of sciences and mathematics was considered important in this country. Mathematics finds mention in the Rig Veda. Trigonometry, Geometry, Astronomy, Algebra, the Decimal system, the concept of Interest, Profit and Loss, Discounts and Commissions all were well known to the Indians. Aryabhata, the famous mathematician and astronomer, calculated the value of Pi. Brahmagupta, Madhava and Ramanujan are names of some famous mathematicians during ancient and modern times.

Since early times India had trade relations with other countries. This resulted in the interchange of ideas and one language influencing the development of another. India was way ahead of the world in mathematics. India introduced mathematics to the world through the Arabs who came to India as traders. They learnt easy methods to do calculations and spread them to Europe. Like many other aspects of the language, the Hindi numeral system is also influenced by the Persian language.

In Hindi the numbers are written and spoken in a very different form from English. Today, for the written form the English numerals are used and for speaking both forms are understood and used. The article lists Hindi terms (as commonly used) for some important numbers. The italicized words are in Hindi. The italicized words in brackets are words as would be written in Hindi script.)

Zero: Shunye शून्य

One: Ek एक

Two: Do दो

Three: Teen तीन

Four: Chaar चार

Five: Paannch पांच

Six: Chheh छः

Seven: Saat सात

Eight: Aath आठ

Nine: Nao नौ

Eleven: Gyaarah ग्यारह

Ten: Dus दस

Twelve: Baarah बाराह

Thirteen: Terah तेराह

Fourteen: Chaodah चौदह

Fifteen: Pandrah पन्द्रह

Sixteen: Solah सोलह

Seventeen: Satrah सत्रह

Eighteen: Athaarah अठारह

Nineteen: Unnees उन्नीस

Twenty: Bees बीस

Thirty: Tees तीस

Forty: Chaalees चालीस

Fifty: Pachaas पचास

Sixty: Saath साठ

Seventy: Sattar सत्तर

Eighty: Assee अस्सी

Ninety: Nabbe नब्बे

Hundred: Sau सौ

Thousand: Hajaar हज़ार

One Thousand: Ek Hajaar एक हज़ार

Lakh (One Hundred Thousand): Laakh लाख

Crore (Ten Million): Karod करोड़

The basic numbers like Ek, Do, Teen are often prefixed in front of numbers like Sau, Hajar, Lakh, Karod.

For example:

One Hundred: Ek Sau एक सौ

Two Hundred: Do sau दो सौ

Five Lakhs: Paanch lakh पांच लाख

Let us try to use the above numbers in small sentences. Sentence B is a translation of Sentence A. The words denoting numbers are in bold in all the sentences.

Sentence A: Give me one apple

Sentence B: Mujhe ek seb do. (मुझे एक सेब दो ‌ )

Sentence A: There are six oranges in the basket.

Sentence B: Tokri mein chheh santarey hai. ( टोकरी मे छः संतरे हैं ‌ )

Sentence A: There are seven days in a week.

Sentence B: Hafte mein saat din hote hai (हफ़्ते मे सात दिन होते है)

Sentence A: Ali Baba and Forty Thieves is an interesting story.

Sentence B: ali baba aur chalees chor ek rochak kahani hai.(अली बाबा और चालीस चोर एक रोचक कहानी है)

Sentence A: My grandmother is ninety years of age.

Sentence B: Meri daadi nabbe saal ki hai. (मेरी दादी नब्बे साल की हैं ‌ )

A number like one hundred and twenty five would be ek sau pachis (एक सौ पचीस) in Hindi, one hundred and thirty would be ek sau tees (एक सौ तीस) , one hundred and seventy would be ek sau sattar (एक सौ सत्तर) , two hundred would be do sau (दो सौ), two hundred and eighty would be do sau assee (दो सौ अस्सी) and three hundred would teen sau (तीन सौ). Numbers one hundred and fifty and two hundred and fifty take a different form from the rest. The number one hundred and fifty would be deedh sau (ढेड़ सौ), two hundred and fifty would be adhai sau (अढाई सौ), three hundred and fifty would be sade teen sau (साढे़ तीन सौ), four hundred and fifty would be sade chaar sau (साढे़ चार सौ).

Numbers are required to interpret time too. The article on ‘Hindi Words for Day and Time’ can be read to learn more about this.

Some more Hindi words that can be covered under this topic are:

Dozen: Darzan (दर्ज़न)

Percentage: Pratishat (प्रतीशत)

Division: Vibhag, vibhajan (विभाग, विभाजन)

Multiplication: Gunna (गुना)

Addition: Jama (जमा)

Reference: http://www.hindilearner.com, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_mathematics

A complete list of Hindi words for numbers other words is available for download. An additional list of numbers from twenty to forty is available separately for download.

Subtraction: Ghtav (घटाव)

Tables: Pahade (पहाडे)