Master Danish Numbers
Danish has one of the most unusual counting systems in Europe, using a vigesimal (base-20) system inherited from the Vikings for numbers 50–90. The word for 50 (halvtreds) literally means "half-third times twenty" (2½ × 20), and 90 (halvfems) means "half-fifth times twenty" (4½ × 20). This makes Danish numbers notoriously tricky, even for speakers of neighboring Scandinavian languages.
Watch the videos below, then download the Foreign Numbers app and practice what you've learned!
Danish Phone Numbers
How phone numbers work in Denmark & how locals say them
| Numeral | Cardinal | Ordinal |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | nul | |
| 1 | en | første |
| 2 | to | anden |
| 3 | tre | tredje |
| 4 | fire | fjerde |
| 5 | fem | femte |
| 6 | seks | sjette |
| 7 | syv | syvende |
| 8 | otte | ottende |
| 9 | ni | niende |
| 10 | ti | tiende |
| 11 | ellevu | ellevte |
| 12 | tolv | tolvte |
| 13 | tretten | trettende |
| 14 | fjorten | fjortende |
| 15 | femten | femtende |
| 16 | seksten | sekstende |
| 17 | sytten | syttende |
| 18 | atten | attende |
| 19 | nitten | nittende |
| 20 | tyve | tyvende |
| 21 | enogtyve | |
| 22 | toogtyve | |
| 23 | treogtyve | |
| 24 | fireogtyve | |
| 25 | femogtyve | |
| 26 | seksogtyve | |
| 27 | syvogtyve | |
| 28 | otteogtyve | |
| 29 | niogtyve | |
| 30 | tredive | tredivte |
| 40 | fyrre | fyrrende |
| 50 | halvtreds [(3-½) x 20] | halvtredsindstyvende |
| 60 | treds [3 x 20] | tresindstyvende |
| 70 | halvfjerds [(4-½) x 20] | halvfjerdsende |
| 80 | firs [4 x 20] | firsende |
| 90 | halvfems [(5-½) x 20] | halvfemsende |
| 100 | et hundrede | |
| 200 | tohundrede | |
| 300 | trehundrede | |
| 1,000 | tusind | |
| 2,000 | totusinde | |
| 1 million | en million | |
| 1 billion | en milliard | |
| 1 trillion | en billion | |
| half | en halv | |
| third | en tredjedel | |
| quarter | en kvart |
Number data and information courtesy of Omniglot.
What Makes Danish Numbers Challenging
The vigesimal system for 50-90 is the primary hurdle — these numbers bear no resemblance to what an English speaker would expect. Halvtreds (50), tres (60), halvfjerds (70), firs (80), and halvfems (90) must simply be memorized. Combined with the ones-before-tens inversion (femogfyrre = 45, not 54), Danish numbers require intense practice. Even Swedes and Norwegians find Danish numbers confusing, and Danish pronunciation is notoriously soft and mumbled.
Tips for Learning Danish Numbers
Memorize the vigesimal tens (50-90) as complete words before trying to form compound numbers. Practice in pairs since Danes read phone numbers in two-digit groups. Watch for the inversion: when you hear the ones digit first, hold it mentally until you hear the tens. Listen to Danish media at slower speeds to train your ear for the soft pronunciation. Many Danes can switch to English, so do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
Practice Danish Numbers
Reading about numbers is one thing — understanding them spoken at natural speed is another. Test your Danish number skills with our free listening game.
Play the Number Game