Egyptian Words For Numbers
The following table shows the reconstructed Middle Egyptian forms of the numerals (which are indicated by a preceding asterisk), followed by the transliteration of the hieroglyphs used to write them, and finally the Coptic numerals which descended from them and which give Egyptologists clues as to the vocalism of the original Egyptian numbers. The majuscule letter "A" in some reconstructed forms means that the quality of that vowel remains uncertain:
| Egyptian Transliteration | English Translation | Coptic (Sahidic dialect) |
|---|---|---|
| *wiʻyaw ‹ wꜥ.w (masc.) *wiʻīyat ‹ wꜥ.t (fem.) |
one | oua (masc.) ouei (fem.) |
| *sínway ‹ sn.wy (masc.) *síntay ‹ sn.ty (fem.) |
two | snau (masc.) snte (fem.) |
| *ḫámtaw ‹ ḫmt.w (masc.) *ḫámtat ‹ ḫmt.t (fem.) |
three | šomnt (masc.) šomte (fem.) |
| *yAfdáw ‹ ỉfd.w (masc.) *yAfdát ‹ ỉfd.t (fem.) |
four | ftoou (masc.) ftoe (fem.) |
| *dīyaw ‹ dỉ.w (masc.) *dīyat ‹ dỉ.t (fem.) |
five | tiou (masc.) tie (fem.) |
| *yAssáw ‹ sỉs.w or ỉs.w (?) (masc.) *yAssát ‹ sỉs.t or ỉs.t (?) (fem.) |
six | soou (masc.) soe (fem.) |
| *sáfḫaw ‹ sfḫ.w (masc.) *sáfḫat ‹ sfḫt (fem.) |
seven | šašf(masc.) šašfe (fem.) |
| *ḫAmānaw ‹ ḫmnw (masc.) *ḫAmānat ‹ ḫmnt (fem.) |
eight | šmoun (masc.) šmoune (fem.) |
| *pAsīḏaw ‹ psḏw (masc.) *pAsīḏat ‹ psḏt (fem.) |
nine | psis (masc.) psite (fem.) |
| *mūḏaw ‹ mḏw (masc.) *mūḏat ‹ mḏt (fem.) |
ten | mēt (masc.) mēte (fem.) |
| *ḏubāʻatay ‹ ḏbꜥ.ty | twenty | jōt (masc.) jōti (fem.) |
| *máʻbAʼ ‹ mꜥbꜣ (masc.) *máʻbAʼat ‹ mꜥbꜣ.t (fem.) |
thirty | maab (masc.) maabe (fem.) |
| *ḥAmí (?) ‹ ḥm.w (masc.) | forty | xme |
| *díywu ‹ dy.w | fifty | taeiou |
| *yAssáwyu ‹ sỉsy.w or ỉswy.w (?) | sixty | se |
| *safḫáwyu ‹ sfḫy.w (masc.) | seventy | šfe |
| *ḫamanáwyu ‹ ḫmny.w (masc.) | eighty | xmene |
| *pAsiḏawyu ‹ psḏy.w (masc.) | ninety | pstaiou |
| *šáwat ‹ š.t | one hundred | še |
| *šūtay ‹ š.ty | two hundred | šēt |
| *ḫaʼ ‹ ḫꜣ | one thousand | šo |
| *ḏubaʻ ‹ ḏbꜣ |
ten thousand | tba |
| ‹ hfn | one hundred thousand | |
| *ḥaḥ ‹ ḥḥ | one million | xax "many" |
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