Numbers in Crimean Tatar
Къырым тили
Numbers in Crimean Tatar follow a primarily decimal (base-10) system with some unique features in forming compound numbers. Spoken by approximately 480,000 people mainly in Crimea, the language belongs to the Turkic family, specifically the Kipchak branch. Its counting system is notable for combining simple words for units, tens, hundreds, and thousands, with specific patterns for compound numbers. The language's rich history and cultural influences are reflected in its numerical expressions. Learning the numbers in Crimean Tatar provides insight into their daily life, trade, and traditions, making it a fascinating subject for linguists and language enthusiasts alike.
Number system
Crimean Tatar uses a decimal system where each digit from 0 to 9 has a specific word: сыфыр (sıfır) for zero, бир (bir) for one, эки (eki) for two, учь (üç) for three, дёрт (dört) for four, беш (beş) for five, алты (altı) for six, еди (yedi) for seven, секиз (sekiz) for eight, and докъуз (doquz) for nine. Tens are formed with unique words: он (on) for ten, йигирми (yigirmi) for twenty, отуз (otuz) for thirty, къыркъ (qırq) for forty, элли (elli) for fifty, алтмыш (altmış) for sixty, етмиш (yetmiş) for seventy, сексен (seksen) for eighty, and докъсан (doqsan) for ninety. Compound numbers are built by stating the ten first, then the unit, separated by a space, e.g., он бир (on bir) for eleven, йигирми дёрт (yigirmi dört) for twenty-four, and йигирми секиз (yigirmi sekiz) for twenty-eight. Hundreds are formed by placing the multiplier before юз (yüz): эки юз (eki yüz) for 200, учь юз (üç yüz) for 300, дёрт юз (dört yüz) for 400, and so on. Thousands are created similarly: эки бинъ (eki biñ) for 2000, учь бинъ (üç biñ) for 3000, and so forth. One million is миллион (million). Large numbers are built by combining these units, e.g., 1,234 is учь юз дёрт бинъ (üç yüz dört biñ).
Number list (29)
Counting rules
Units from zero to nine
Digits 0-9 are represented by specific words: сыфыр (sıfır) for zero, бир (bir) for one, эки (eki) for two, учь (üç) for three, дёрт (dört) for four, беш (beş) for five, алты (altı) for six, еди (yedi) for seven, секиз (sekiz) for eight, докъуз (doquz) for nine. For example, 3 is учь, 7 is еди, and 9 is докъуз.
Tens formation
Tens are named with unique words: он (on) for ten, йигирми (yigirmi) for twenty, отуз (otuz) for thirty, къыркъ (qırq) for forty, элли (elli) for fifty, алтмыш (altmış) for sixty, етмиш (yetmiş) for seventy, сексен (seksen) for eighty, докъсан (doqsan) for ninety. Compound numbers combine the ten word with the unit, e.g., он бир (on bir) for eleven, йигирми дёрт (yigirmi dört) for twenty-four, and йигирми секиз (yigirmi sekiz) for twenty-eight.
Hundreds formation
Hundreds are formed by placing the multiplier digit before юз (yüz): юз (yüz) for 100, эки юз (eki yüz) for 200, учь юз (üç yüz) for 300, дёрт юз (dört yüz) for 400, беш юз (beş yüz) for 500, алты юз (altı yüz) for 600, еди юз (yedi yüz) for 700, секиз юз (sekiz yüz) for 800, докъуз юз (doquz yüz) for 900.
Thousands formation
Thousands are formed similarly: бинъ (biñ) for 1,000, эки бинъ (eki biñ) for 2,000, учь бинъ (üç biñ) for 3,000, дёрт бинъ (dört biñ) for 4,000, беш бинъ (beş biñ) for 5,000, алты бинъ (altı biñ) for 6,000, еди бинъ (yedi biñ) for 7,000, секиз бинъ (sekiz biñ) for 8,000, докъуз бинъ (doquz biñ) for 9,000.
Large numbers and millions
One million is миллион (million). Larger numbers are constructed by combining thousands, hundreds, tens, and units, e.g., 1,234 is учь юз дёрт бинъ (üç yüz dört biñ).
Unique features
Numbers 6-9 are formed by combining the base words with the suffixes, e.g., алты (altı) for six, and докъуз (doquz) for nine, showing a clear pattern of root words.
Unlike some Turkic languages, Crimean Tatar uses specific words for tens and combines them with units in a straightforward manner, similar to European decimal systems.
The pattern of forming numbers like 11 (он бир) and 12 (он эки) shows a consistent use of the ten word followed by the unit, which is common but with unique vocabulary.
Large numbers like thousands and millions are built by placing the multiplier before the base words, e.g., эки бинъ (eki biñ) for 2000, reflecting a regular positional system.
The language borrows the word миллион (million) from Latin/Italian, illustrating cultural exchange and adaptation for large numbers.
Cultural context
Crimean Tatar is spoken mainly in Crimea, where it is an official language in the Russian Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. It is a minority language in Ukraine and Romania. The people have a rich cultural heritage, with numbers playing a vital role in trade, traditional celebrations, and daily life. For example, specific numbers are considered lucky or taboo, influencing social interactions. The language's numerals are used in folk stories, poetry, and trade transactions, reflecting their importance in cultural identity. The use of both Cyrillic and Latin scripts signifies historical influences and modern adaptations. Despite political changes, the language remains a vital part of Crimean Tatar identity and cultural expression.
Fun facts
Fact 1: The number 6 is алты (altı), which is formed by adding a suffix to the root, showing a morphological pattern.
Fact 2: Unlike English, where 11-19 are unique words, Crimean Tatar constructs these numbers by combining 'on' (ten) with units, e.g., он бир (on bir) for eleven.
Fact 3: The pattern of forming compound numbers like 24 (йигирми дёрт) demonstrates a clear base-10 positional system with specific vocabulary.
Fact 4: Historically, the word for one thousand, бинъ (biñ), reflects Ottoman Turkish influence, showing cultural exchange.
Fact 5: Large numbers like a million are expressed with borrowed words, indicating the language's adaptation to modern numerical concepts.
Frequently asked questions
How do you count to 10 in Crimean Tatar?
1 - бир (bir), 2 - эки (eki), 3 - учь (üç), 4 - дёрт (dört), 5 - беш (beş), 6 - алты (altı), 7 - еди (yedi), 8 - секиз (sekiz), 9 - докъуз (doquz), 10 - он (on).
What number base does Crimean Tatar use?
It primarily uses a decimal (base-10) system, evidenced by the words for ten, twenty, thirty, etc., and the way compound numbers are formed by combining tens and units.
How do you say 42 in Crimean Tatar?
42 is йигирми дёрт (yigirmi dört), formed by combining йигирми (20) and дёрт (4).
How do you say 100 in Crimean Tatar?
100 is юз (yüz). For larger hundreds, e.g., 300, it is учь юз (üç yüz).
How many people speak Crimean Tatar?
Approximately 480,000 speakers, mainly in Crimea, where it is an official language in the Russian Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.
Is Crimean Tatar related to other languages?
Yes, it belongs to the Turkic language family, specifically the Kipchak branch, related to languages like Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tatar.
What makes Crimean Tatar counting unique?
Its use of specific words for numbers, the formation of compound numbers by combining tens and units, and the influence of historical borrowings like миллион (million) make its counting system distinctive.