Numbers from Zero to One Million

What you will learn

You can build Swedish whole numbers from zero to one million. Start with the numbers to twenty, then use the patterns for tens, hundreds and thousands. A code is different because each digit may need to be read separately.

Zero to twenty

Good to know

When you count or read digits, 1 is ett. Before some words, one is en instead, as in en kurs (a course, or one course). Which words take en comes in a later chapter.

18 is arton, even though 8 is åtta. 14 is fjorton, even though 4 is fyra.

Sju and tjugo begin with sounds that English does not have. Audio for this course is planned.

Some numbers look alike at first. Watch tolv, två and tjugo, then sex and sexton, and sju and sjutton.

Tens and the numbers between them

Put the tens first and then the ones, as one word. There is no word for and in the middle. The same rule builds every whole number from 21 to 99.

When counting, 21 is tjugoett. Before an en noun it can be tjugoen, as in tjugoen kronor. Before an ett noun it is tjugoett, as in tjugoett år. For a task asking only for a number, use the counting form unless its context says otherwise.

Hundreds

One hundred is hundra or etthundra. Put a multiplier before hundra for larger hundreds, then add what remains. The complete number does not contain and.

For 104, etthundrafyra is also correct. A zero in the tens or ones position is not read as noll inside the whole number. So 104 is one hundred and four in English, not a sequence of one, zero and four.

Thousands

One thousand is tusen or ettusen. Read the thousands group first and then the rest of the number. You already know the small number patterns used in each group.

For example, 12 600 has twelve thousands and six hundreds. Its form is tolvtusensexhundra. Long number words are easier to understand when you first identify their groups.

In digits, Swedish normally groups thousands with spaces, as in 12 600. A comma usually marks a decimal, so 12,6 is twelve point six, not twelve thousand six hundred.

One million

Miljon is a noun, so en miljon is written as two words. Its plural is miljoner. You have now seen the building blocks for every whole number from zero to one million, rather than a separate list to memorise.

Spelling and accepted alternatives

This lesson normally joins number words below a million. Rounded hundreds and thousands can also be separated for readability, such as två hundra and åttio tusen. You can also include the initial ett in one hundred and one thousand where it fits.

Do not put spaces inside ordinary tens, so write trettiosju, not trettio sju. Keep en miljon separate. Write fyrtio for 40 even though you may hear a reduced pronunciation.

Rooms, numbers and codes

A code is often read one digit at a time. Each digit is then said as its own number.

The same digits can serve different purposes. The whole number 4071 is fyratusensjuttioett. A code written 4 0 7 1 can be read fyra noll sju ett. Keep any leading zero in a code. The exercise tells you whether it wants a whole number or separate digits.

Practice in stages

Learn recognises the number groups. Apply writes the number from digits. Challenge uses a short number relationship or a practical message before you write the result. Work through the patterns rather than trying to memorise all possible values. Listening tasks will practise numbers and codes when the recordings are available.

Koden means the code. The ending that makes it the code comes in a later chapter.

Common mistakes