Old Norse/Numerals

In this chapter, the following concepts are explained:

• cardinal numbers
• cardinal number declension
• ordinal numbers

Labial mutation (aka. u-umlaut) is marked by an L before the ending.

Front mutation (aka. i-umlaut) is marked by an F before the ending.

Cardinal numbers

1 through 20

The cardinals 1 through 4 decline. 5 through 20 do not.

Cardinal numbers 1 through 20

1 einn	2 tveir	3 þrír	4 fjórir	5 fimm
6 sex	7 sjau	8 átta	9 níu	10 tíu
11 ellifu	12 tólf	13 þrettán	14 fjórtán	15 fimmtán
16 sextán	17 sjaut(j)án	18 átján	19 nítján	20 tuttugu

The four declinable numerals einn, tveir, þrír and fjórir will decline whenever it appears in a number.

Multiples of ten

Multiples of ten from 30 to 110 are expressed by combining a cardinal number with the plural of the u-stem masculine noun tigr "ten," whose declension is given below.

Declension of u-stem tigr "ten"

case	singular	plural
nominative	tigr	tigir
genitive	tigar	tiga
dative	tigi	tigum
accusative	tig	tigu

Nouns counted with multiples of ten are in the genitive case, as in the sentence þrír tigir manna dóu "thirty men died," literally meaning "three tens of men died."

For multiples of ten other than 30 and 40, while tigr declines, the preceding cardinal number does not. For 30 and 40, þrír and fjórir decline as well as tigr. For example, see how, in the following sentences, þrír "three" in the first sentence declines to the masculine accusative plural while fimm "five" in the second does not.

• Hann slógu þrjá tigu manna. He slew thirty men.
• Hann slógu fimm tigu manna. He slew fifty men.

Other numbers 21 through 119

Other numbers are like English but with an ok ("and") connecting the multiple of ten and the single digit. Examples are þrír tigir ok tveir or tveir ok þrír tigir "thirty-two," ellifu tigir ok sjau or sjau ok ellifu tigir one hundred seventeen; eleven tens and seven."

hundrað and þúsund

The neuter noun hundrað "long hundred; 120" declines like the following.

Declension of hundrað "long hundred; 120"

case	singular	plural
nominative	hundrað	hundruð
genitive	hundraðs	hundraða
dative	hundraði	hundruðum
accusative	hundrað	hundruð

The feminine noun þúsund "long thousand; 1200" declines like the following.

Declension of þúsund "long thousand; 1200"

case	singular	plural
nominative	þúsund	þúsundir
genitive	þúsundar	þúsunda
dative	þúsundi	þúsundum
accusative	þúsund	þúsundir

Nouns counted with hundrað and þúsund are in the genitive form.

Einn, tveir, þrír and fjórir

Einn, tveir, þrír and fjórir appearing in numbers ending in 1, 2, 3 or 4 will decline.

If the subject is modified by a number that ends in 1, the verb is in the singular form. Otherwise, the verb is in the plural form. See the following examples.

• Einn maðr ok þrír tigir dó. Thirty-one men died.
• Fimm tigir manna ok tveir dóu. Fifty-two men died.

Cardinal number declension

Of the numbers 1 through 20, only the numerals einn, tveir, þrír and fjórir decline.

The plural form of einn was used to mean "some". The other numerals have plural forms only.

Declension of einn

	masculine		feminine		neuter
case	singular	plural	singular	plural	singular	plural
nominative	einn	einir	ein	einar	eitt	ein
genitive	eins	einna	einnar	einna	eins	einna
dative	einum	einum	einni	einum	einu	einum
accusative	einn	eina	eina	einar	eitt	ein

Declension of tveir

	masculine	feminine	neuter
case	plural	plural	plural
nominative	tveir	tvær	tvau
genitive	tveggja	tveggja	tveggja
dative	tveim(r)	tveim(r)	tveim(r)
accusative	tvá	tvær	tvau

Declension of þrír

	masculine	feminine	neuter
case	plural	plural	plural
nominative	þrír	þrjár	þrjú
genitive	þriggja	þriggja	þriggja
dative	þrim(r)	þrim(r)	þrim(r)
accusative	þrjá	þrjár	þrjú

Declension of fjórir

	masculine	feminine	neuter
case	plural	plural	plural
nominative	fjórir	fjórar	fjǫgur
genitive	fjǫgurra	fjǫgurra	fjǫgurra
dative	fjórum	fjórum	fjórum
accusative	fjóra	fjórar	fjǫgur