Ilocano numbers explained

Ilocano has two number systems: one is native and the other is derived from Spanish. The systems are virtually used interchangeably. Yet, the situation can dictate which system is preferred.

Typically, Ilocanos use native numbers for one through 10, and Spanish numbers for amounts of 10 and higher.

Specific time is told using the Spanish system and numbers for hours and minutes, for example, Alas dos/A las dos (2 o'clock).

For dates, cardinal Spanish numbers are the norm; for example, 12 (dose) ti Julio/Hulio (the twelfth of July).

As with other roots in the language, numbers can undergo various forms of agglutination.

Cardinal

Cardinal numbers are those used in counting.

NumberIlocano-NativeIlocano-SpanishSpanish / Spanish-style spelling
1maysaunouno
2duadosdos
3tallotrestres
4uppatkuatrocuatro
5limasingkocinco
6innemsaisseis
7pitosietesiete
8walootsoocho
9siamnuebenueve
10sangapulo,[1] [2] pullodiesdiez
11sangapulo ket maysaonseonce
12sangapulo ket duadosedoce
13sangapulo ket tallotresetrece
14sangapulo ket uppatkatorsecatorce
15sangapulo ket limakinsequince
16sangapulo ket innemdiesisaisdiez y seis, dieciséis
17sangapulo ket pitodiesisietediez y siete, diecisiete
18sangapulo ket walodiesiotsodiez y ocho, dieciocho
19sangapulo ket siamdiesinuebediez y nueve, diecinueve
20duapulobeinteveinte
21duapulo ket maysabeintiunoveinte y uno, veintiúno
30tallopulotreintatreinta
31tallopulo ket maysatreinta y unotreinta y uno
40uppat a pulokuarentacuarenta
50limapulosingkuentacincuenta
60innem a pulosesentasesenta
70pitopulosetentasetenta
80walopulootsentaochenta
90siam a pulonobentanoventa
100sangagasut,[3] gasutsien,[4] sientocien, ciento
101sangagasut ket maysasiento y unociento y uno
200duagasutdosientosdoscientos
300tallogasuttresientostrescientos
400uppat a gasutkuatrosientoscuatrocientos
500[5] limagasutkinientosquinientos
600innem a gasutsaisientosseiscientos
700pitogasutsetesientossetecientos
800walogasutotsosientosochocientos
900siam a gasutnobesientosnovecientos
1,000sangaribo,[6] ribomilmil
2,000duaribodos mildos mil
5,000limaribosingko milcinco mil
10,000sangalaksa,[7] sangapulo nga ribodies mildiez mil
100,000sangagasut a ribosien milcien mil
1,000,000sangariwriw[8] milionmillón

Numbers are connected to their nouns using the ligature a/nga.

maysa a botelia one bottle innem a riwriw a tao six million people

Ordinal

To form the ordinal number (second, third, etc.), except for first, maika- is prefixed to the cardinal form. Note the exceptional forms for third, fourth and sixth. In some cases, Ilocano speakers tend to use Spanish ordinal numbers, especial in first, second, and third (primero/a, segundo/a, tersero/a).

CardinalOrdinalGloss
maysaumuna (past: immuna)first
duamaikaduasecond
tallomaikatlothird
uppatmaikapatfourth
limamaikalimafifth
innemmaikanemsixth
pitomaikapitoseventh
walomaikawaloeighth
siammaikasiamninth
sangapulomaikasangapulotenth

Aggregate

With the group numbers (pulo, gasut, ribo, laksa and riwriw), infixing in indicates division.

UnitGlossAggregateGloss
pulotenpinulloby the tens, by the decade
gasuthundredginasutby the hundreds
ribothousandriniboby the thousands
laksaten thousandlinaksaby the ten-thousands, by the myriad
riwriwmillionriniwriwby the millions
Aggregate numbers have already been introduced: sangapulo, sangaribo, etc. Each is prefixed with sanga-. To form other groups, other numbers, and units of length, time or capacity can be used with sanga-. The alternate form is sangka-.
UnitGlossAggregateGloss
pulotensangapuloten
limafivesangalimaa group of five
igupswallowsangaigupa gulp
iwaslicesangaiwaa slice of
lamutin mouthsangalamutmouthful

Distributive

Distributives are formed by prefixing sag- plus reduplication of the first CV (light reduplication) of the cardinal form or the unit. Distributives express so many each, so many a piece. Note the irregular forms for one each, three each, four each and six each.

CardinalDistributiveGloss
maysasaggaysaone each, a piece
duasagduduatwo each, a piece
tallosaggatlothree each, a piece
uppatsagpapatfour each, a piece
limasaglilimafive each, a piece
innemsagninemsix each, a piece
pitosagpipitoseven each, a piece
walosagwawaloeight each, a piece
manosagmamanohow many/much each, a piece
doliarsagdodoliara dollar each, a piece
Saggatlokami. We take three each. Sagdodoliarda. They are one dollar each.

When used with pami(n)-, sagpami(n)-, the result is a distributive multiplicative: so many times each.

Sagpaminduakami a napan a nabuya diay sine. We each saw the movie twice.

Indefinite

Indefinite numbers are formed by prefixing sumag- and CV reduplication of the first syllable of the cardinal form. In addition, to the cardinal numbers, sumag- can be used with the interrogative mano How much/many?.

CardinalIndefiniteGloss
duasumagduduaabout two
tallosumaggatloabout three
uppatsumagpapatabout four
manosumagmamanoabout how much/many

Limitative

Limitatives express no more, no less than what the root number or aggregate specifies. It is formed by reduplicating the CVC (heavy reduplication) of the first syllable of the cardinal number or root form.sanga-/sangka- may be reduplicated, sangsanga-/sangsangka-, also to express limitation.

CardinalLimitativeGloss
maysamaymaysaonly one
duaduduaonly two
tallotaltalloonly three
uppatup-uppatonly four
sangaigupsangsangaiguponly one gulp

Sangsangaigup ti nainumko I drank one gulp.

Multiplicative

These adverbial numbers are formed by prefixing mami(n)- to the cardinal form. Note the forms for once, twice, three times/thrice. Perfect form: nami(n)-. There are cases when the word beses (from Sp. veces) replaces mami(n)- and nami(n)- prefixes (maysa beses, dua (nga) beses, etc.)

CardinalMultiplicativeGloss
maysamaminsanonce
duamaminduatwo times, twice
tallomamitlothree times, thrice
uppatmamimpatfour times
limamaminlimafive times
adumamin-aduoften, many times

Maminduakanto a mapan. You will go twice. Mamimpitok a nabuya. I've watched it seven times.

The multiplicatives can be limited by maminpi-/mamipin- (Perf: naminpi-/namipin-).

CardinalLimited Multiplicative Gloss
maysamaminpinsanonly once
duamaminpinduaonly two times, twice
tallomaminpitloonly three times, thrice
uppatmaminpimpatonly four times
limamaminpinlimaonly five times

The multiplicatives can be made ordinal with kapami(n)-. The resulting form is treated as a nominal and takes ergative agents.

CardinalLimited Multiplicative Gloss
maysakapaminsanonly time
duakapaminduasecond time
tallokapamitlothird time
uppatkapamimpatfourth time
limakapaminlimafifth time

Kapaminlimana ti agbuya iti dayta a pelikula. This is her fifth time to see that film.

Nakapamin- prefixed to numbers behaves as an adverb.

Nakapaminduana nga agpadawat iti kuarta. He solicited twice for money.

Fractional

The denominator in fractions is prefixed by pagka-. Numbers such as sangapulo ten, sangagasut hundred, etc. drop the sanga- prefix before taking the prefix.

CardinalDenominatorGloss
tallopagkatlothird
innempagkanemsixth
sangagasutpagkagasuthundredth
maysa a pagkatlo one third lima a pagkagasut 5 percent

Divisional

Divisional numbers are formed by prefixing agka- and denote into how many parts something is divided. The perfective is nagka-.

Agkawalonto ti "apple pie". The apple pie will be divided into eight (pieces). Nagkawalo ti "apple pie". The apple pie was divided into eight (pieces).

See also

Notes and References

  1. Literally ten is one group of ten and twenty is two tens, etc.
  2. The numbers ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand and one million begin with sanga- a group of. Multiples above that do not and are treated like units; for example, dua a riwriw two million, NOT *dua a sangariwriw.
  3. Similar to the tens, sangagasut is literally one group of a hundred, etc.
  4. Cien and Sien are used when only when meaning exactly 100. Ciento and Siento are used in conjunction with 101 and above.
  5. Five hundred is added here because of its exceptional formation in Spanish.
  6. Root: ribo; 2 000 is dua a ribo, etc. Note the explicit use of the ligature a
  7. Root: laksa. Twenty thousand is dua a laksa, lit. two ten thousands.
  8. Root: riwriw