Learning to count in Welsh is a rewarding experience.

You’ll quickly notice that the Welsh language actually uses two different counting systems.

One is the traditional system based on twenties.

The other is a modern decimal system based on tens.

I’ll show you how both systems work so you can count confidently from zero to one hundred.

The two Welsh counting systems

The Welsh language features both a modern decimal system and a traditional vigesimal system.

The modern system is based entirely on tens.

It was introduced in the late 20th century to make math easier for schoolchildren.

The traditional system is much older and is based on twenties.

You’ll hear native speakers use both systems depending on the context.

Numbers zero to ten in Welsh

You must learn the numbers from zero to ten first because they are the building blocks for both systems.

Here’s a simple table showing the numbers from zero to ten.

Notice that the numbers two, three, and four have both masculine and feminine forms.

You use the masculine form when counting objects that are grammatically masculine.

You use the feminine form for grammatically feminine nouns.

When you’re simply reciting numbers or doing math, you’ll always default to the masculine forms.

Counting to 100 with the modern system

The modern decimal system is very straightforward.

You simply say the tens column followed by the units column.

For example, thirty-two translates literally as “three ten two”.

Here are the ten increments you need to know to reach one hundred.

Notice that the word “deg” mutates to “ddeg” after the number two.

To make a compound number, just place the single digit after the tens word.

This system is incredibly logical and easy to memorize for beginners.

Understanding the traditional system

The traditional Welsh counting system is a bit more complex.

Instead of counting strictly in tens, it counts in units of twenties.

It also uses a combination of adding and subtracting to form numbers.

For example, the number sixteen is expressed as “one on fifteen”.

The number eighteen is literally expressed as “two nines”.

Here are the traditional numbers from eleven to twenty.

Once you pass twenty, you start counting numbers “on twenty”.

The number forty translates literally to “two twenties”.

When to use each system

Knowing when to use the modern or traditional system is very important.

The modern decimal system is used for money, math, and general counting.

If you’re giving a phone number or reading a long barcode, you’ll always use the modern system.

The traditional system is still widely used in daily conversation for a few specific topics.

People almost always use the traditional system when telling the time.

It’s also heavily used when giving your age.

Dates and ordinal numbers rely entirely on the traditional system as well.

I recommend practicing the modern system first to build your confidence before tackling the traditional counting methods.