Numbers in Icelandic are incredibly complex. For correct usage of numbers see below.
1. Einn
2. Tveir
3. Þrír
4. Fjórir
5. Fimm
6. Sex
7. Sjö
8. Átta
9. Níu
10. Tíu
11. Ellefu
12. Tólf
13. Þréttán
14. Fjórtán
15. Fimmtán
16. Sextán
17. Sautján
18. Átján
19. Nítján
20. Tuttugu
21. Tuttugu og einn
30. Þrjátíu
40. Fjörutíu
50. Fimmtíu
60. Sextíu
70. Sjötíu
80. Áttatíu
90. Níutíu
100. Hundrað
101. Hundrað og einn
1000. Þúsund
1000000. Milljón
Icelandic numbers are rather erratic. The first problem encountered is the fact that the numbers 1 through 4 are declined in both gender, case and in some instances singular and plural. The tables below show the declension and then gives an explanation of how to use them.
one |
|||
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
nominative | einn | ein | eitt |
accusative | einn | eina | eitt |
dative | einnum | einni | einu |
genitive | eins | einnar | eins |
plural | masculine | feminine | neuter |
nominative | einir | einar | ein |
accusative | eina | einar | ein |
dative | einum | einum | einum |
genitive | einna | einna | einna |
two |
|||
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
nominative | tveir | tvær | tvö |
accusative | tvo | tvær | tvö |
dative | tveimur | tveimur | tveimur |
genitive | tveggja | tveggja | tveggja |
three |
|||
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
nominative | þrír | þrjár | þrjú |
accusative | þrjá | þrjár | þrjú |
dative | þremur | þremur | þremur |
genitive | þriggja | þriggja | þriggja |
four |
|||
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
nominative | fjórir | fjórar | fjögur |
accusative | fjóra | fjórar | fjögur |
dative | fjórum | fjórum | fjórum |
genitive | fjögurra | fjögurra | fjögurra |
The plural form of 2, 3 and 4 are tvennir, þrennir and fernir, and they follow the same declension pattern as einir.
Plural numbers are used to count pairs of something, for example, when counting socks, you would say þrenna sokka. If however, there were only one sock, and not a pair, you would use the singular version.
Numbers have to agree with what is being counted. This means that roses would be counted using the feminine version of 1, 2, 3 and 4 because rós is feminine. When reciting numbers use the masculine form.
The numbers hundrað, þúsund and miljón have set genders (neuter, neuter and feminine), so it is important to decline these as plural numbers when using any number after 1 (i.e. tvö þúsund). It is also important to use the correct gender of the numbers 1 - 4 with these numbers.
To make matters worse there can be more than one form of a number in a larger number. For example, hús (house) is neuter. So to say 2031 houses you must use the correct form of 2, 1000 must be plural and 1 must be neuter as it qualifies the noun house. 2031 houses in Icelandic would be tvö þúsund þrjátíu og eitt hús.
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