Numbers: Greenlandic and Danish

01

One to Twelve

• 1 ataaseq, 2 marluk, 3 pingasut, 4 sisamat, 5 tallimat, 6 arfinillit
• 7 arfineq marluk, 8 arfineq pingasut, 9 qulingiluat, 10 qulit
• 11 aqqanillit or aqqaneq, 12 aqqaneq marluk

Seven and eight are built from arfineq "six" with "two" and "three", and twelve from aqqaneq "eleven" with "two".

• Kisitsisa. Ataaseq, marluk, pingasut, sisamat, tallimat.

  Let's count: one, two, three, four, five

• Arfinillit, arfineq marluk, arfineq pingasut, qulingiluat, qulit, aqqanillit, aqqaneq marluk.

  six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve

02

After the Noun

A number follows its noun, and from two up the noun is plural. Most numbers themselves end in -t like a plural noun.

• Qatanngutikka angutit arfinillit, arnat arfineq marluk.

  I have six brothers and seven sisters.

• Meeqqakka pingasut tamarmik ukioqatigiipput.

  My three children are all the same age.

03

Counting What You Have

When the counted thing is built into the verb, as with -qar- "have", the number stands before the verb with the plural ending -nik: marluk becomes marlunnik.

• Marlunnik qitornaqarpunga. Erneq taavalu panik.

  I have two children, a son and a daughter.

• Iniga marlunnik sinittarfeqarpoq.

  My apartment has two bedrooms.

04

One

ataaseq "one" takes the singular endings, -mik instead of -nik: ataatsimik.

• Ataatsimik qaneqarpunga kisianni marlunnik siuteqarlunga.

  I have one mouth but two ears.

05

Danish Numbers

From thirteen on, Danish numbers are used, and so they are for prices. They take Greenlandic endings.

• Atteninik ukioqarpunga.

  I'm eighteen years old. (atten "eighteen" + -nik)

• Kaagi una akeqarpoq enogtredive dollarinik niogfyrre centinillu.

  This cake costs thirty-one dollars and forty-nine cents.

06

First, Second, Third

"First" is siulleq, "its first" siulliat. The other ordinals add -at "its" to the number: tallimaat "the fifth". A Danish number that ends in a consonant takes -iat: tretteniat "the thirteenth".

• Ullumikkut Maajip siulliat.

  Today is the first of May. (lit. May's first)

• Sisamanik qitsoqarpunga. Sisamaat nukarliuvoq.

  I have four cats. The fourth is the youngest.

• Ataasinngornermi inunngorpunga. Aggustip tolviat.

  I was born on Monday, the twelfth of August.

07

Years

Years are said in Danish, and "in" a year takes -mi.

• Nitten otteogfirsimi inunngorputit.

  You were born in nineteen eighty-eight.