Numbers

1. N'we, mbirhi, nharhu

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Xitsonga numbers 1-3. With a noun the form agrees with the noun class

   Grammar Note

   The apostrophe in "n'we" is part of the spelling (ASCII '). Not Zulu kunye / kubili / kuthathu

2. Mune, ntlhanu, tsevu

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Xitsonga numbers 4-6

   Grammar Note

   "ntlh" is a single consonant cluster. Do not use Sotho "nne hlano"

3. Nkombo, nhungu, kaye

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Xitsonga numbers 7-9

   Grammar Note

   "kaye" is the word for nine found in the dictionary list and sources

4. Khume

   Ten

   Usage

   Xitsonga ten. Later numbers follow "khume", as in "khume nkombo" (17)

   Grammar Note

   The sources show "khume nkombo" (17) and "khume nhungu" (18)

5. Dzana, gidi

   One hundred, one thousand

   Usage

   Xitsonga hundred and thousand; the plurals are "madzana" and "magidi"

   Grammar Note

   Larger numbers can also be written in digits (100, 1000)

6. Makume mbirhi

   Twenty

   Usage

   Xitsonga twenty; "makume" is the plural of ten

   Grammar Note

   Tens are "makume" plus a number. The sources spell it both "makume mbirhi" and "makumembirhi"

7. Makume ntlhanu

   Fifty

   Usage

   Xitsonga fifty

   Grammar Note

   The form "makume ntlhanu" appears in the sources

8. Swilo swimbirhi

   Two things

   Usage

   Counts things; the numeral agrees with the noun class

   Grammar Note

   With the class 8 noun "swilo" the numeral becomes "swimbirhi"

9. Ndzi ni malembe ya 27

   I am 27 years old

   Usage

   States an age; numbers are safest written in digits

   Grammar Note

   The sources have "a ri ni malembe ya 12" (she was 12 years old). Age is "have + years". The sentence is composed from dictionary-verified words and was not found verbatim in the sources

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