Numbers are a daily necessity in any language, and Bengali numbers carry particular density because nearly every number from 1 to 99 has its own distinctive word. Where English combines a base word with a regular suffix (twenty-one, twenty-two, forty-seven) and where many languages use transparent compounds, Bengali preserves a Sanskrit-inherited pattern in which each number from 1 to 99 is a unique or partially unique form. This makes the first-hundred numbers a genuine memorization task, but from 100 onward the structure becomes regular and predictable. Learners who invest in the first 100 find the rest straightforward.
This reference covers Bengali cardinal numbers from 0 to 1000, the Bengali numeral script (০ through ৯), compound number construction, the South Asian lakh and crore units of large numbers, ordinal numbers (first, second, third), fractional expressions, number-plus-classifier constructions for counting objects and people, and the practical conventions for writing prices, dates, and quantities. All examples show Bengali script and transliteration.
Bengali numerals are a complete working script in their own right. Newspapers in Kolkata and Dhaka write dates, page numbers, prices, and telephone numbers in Bengali digits. Official government documents use Bengali numerals. Price tags in markets show Bengali numbers. A learner who skips the numeral script will struggle with real-world text even after mastering the alphabet.
Bengali Digits: The Numeral Script
| Bengali | Western | Transliteration | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ০ | 0 | shunno | SHUN-no |
| ১ | 1 | êk | EK |
| ২ | 2 | dui | DU-i |
| ৩ | 3 | tin | TIN |
| ৪ | 4 | char | CHAR |
| ৫ | 5 | pãch | PAANCH |
| ৬ | 6 | chhôy | CHHOY |
| ৭ | 7 | shat | SHAT |
| ৮ | 8 | aT | AHT |
| ৯ | 9 | nôy | NOY |
The digits are written left to right, matching the direction of the alphabet. Multi-digit numbers are formed by juxtaposition: ২৫ = 25, ১২৭ = 127, ২০২৪ = 2024. A reader proficient in Western Arabic numerals can learn Bengali numerals in a single sitting, since the logic is identical.
Cardinal Numbers 1 to 20
The first twenty numbers form the foundation of the counting system and should be memorized at the outset.
| Bengali | Script | Transliteration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | এক | êk | |
| 2 | দুই | dui | |
| 3 | তিন | tin | |
| 4 | চার | char | |
| 5 | পাঁচ | pãch | nasalized vowel |
| 6 | ছয় | chhôy | aspirated ch |
| 7 | সাত | shat | |
| 8 | আট | aT | retroflex T |
| 9 | নয় | nôy | |
| 10 | দশ | dôsh | |
| 11 | এগারো | êgaro | irregular |
| 12 | বারো | baro | irregular |
| 13 | তেরো | têro | irregular |
| 14 | চৌদ্দ | chouddo | irregular |
| 15 | পনেরো | pônero | irregular |
| 16 | ষোল | sholo | irregular |
| 17 | সতেরো | shôtero | irregular |
| 18 | আঠারো | aTharo | irregular |
| 19 | উনিশ | unish | "one less than twenty" |
| 20 | বিশ | bish |
The numbers 11 through 19 are not transparent combinations of "ten plus one, ten plus two, etc." They are historical forms inherited from Sanskrit. Note 19 (unish) and its cousins 29, 39, 49 etc., which all begin with un- meaning "one less than the next round number."
Cardinal Numbers 21 to 50
| Bengali | Script | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | একুশ | êkush |
| 22 | বাইশ | baish |
| 23 | তেইশ | teish |
| 24 | চব্বিশ | chôbbish |
| 25 | পঁচিশ | pôchish |
| 26 | ছাব্বিশ | chhabbish |
| 27 | সাতাশ | shatash |
| 28 | আঠাশ | aThash |
| 29 | উনত্রিশ | unôtrish |
| 30 | ত্রিশ | trish |
| 31 | একত্রিশ | êkôtrish |
| 32 | বত্রিশ | bôtrish |
| 33 | তেত্রিশ | têtrish |
| 34 | চৌত্রিশ | choutrish |
| 35 | পঁইত্রিশ | pãytrish |
| 36 | ছত্রিশ | chhôtrish |
| 37 | সাঁইত্রিশ | shãytrish |
| 38 | আটত্রিশ | aTtrish |
| 39 | উনচল্লিশ | unôchôllish |
| 40 | চল্লিশ | chôllish |
| 41 | একচল্লিশ | êkchôllish |
| 42 | বিয়াল্লিশ | biyallish |
| 43 | তেতাল্লিশ | têtallish |
| 44 | চুয়াল্লিশ | chuyallish |
| 45 | পঁয়তাল্লিশ | pôytallish |
| 46 | ছেচল্লিশ | chhêchôllish |
| 47 | সাতচল্লিশ | shatchôllish |
| 48 | আটচল্লিশ | aTchôllish |
| 49 | উনপঞ্চাশ | unôpôncash |
| 50 | পঞ্চাশ | pôncash |
Cardinal Numbers 51 to 100
| Bengali | Script | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | একান্ন | êkanno |
| 52 | বায়ান্ন | bayanno |
| 53 | তিপ্পান্ন | tippanno |
| 54 | চুয়ান্ন | chuyanno |
| 55 | পঞ্চান্ন | pôncanno |
| 56 | ছাপ্পান্ন | chhappanno |
| 57 | সাতান্ন | shatanno |
| 58 | আটান্ন | aTanno |
| 59 | উনষাট | unôshaT |
| 60 | ষাট | shaT |
| 61 | একষট্টি | êkshôTTi |
| 62 | বাষট্টি | bashôTTi |
| 63 | তেষট্টি | têshôTTi |
| 64 | চৌষট্টি | choushôTTi |
| 65 | পঁইষট্টি | pôyshôTTi |
| 66 | ছেষট্টি | chhêshôTTi |
| 67 | সাতষট্টি | shatshôTTi |
| 68 | আটষট্টি | aTshôTTi |
| 69 | উনসত্তর | unôshôttor |
| 70 | সত্তর | shôttor |
| 71 | একাত্তর | êkattor |
| 72 | বাহাত্তর | bahattor |
| 73 | তিয়াত্তর | tiyattor |
| 74 | চুয়াত্তর | chuyattor |
| 75 | পঁচাত্তর | pôchattor |
| 76 | ছিয়াত্তর | chhiyattor |
| 77 | সাতাত্তর | shatattor |
| 78 | আটাত্তর | aTattor |
| 79 | উনআশি | unashi |
| 80 | আশি | ashi |
| 81 | একাশি | êkashi |
| 82 | বিরাশি | birashi |
| 83 | তিরাশি | tirashi |
| 84 | চুরাশি | churashi |
| 85 | পঁচাশি | pôchashi |
| 86 | ছিয়াশি | chhiyashi |
| 87 | সাতাশি | shatashi |
| 88 | আটাশি | aTashi |
| 89 | উননব্বই | unônôbbôi |
| 90 | নব্বই | nôbbôi |
| 91 | একানব্বই | êkanôbbôi |
| 92 | বিরানব্বই | biranôbbôi |
| 93 | তিরানব্বই | tiranôbbôi |
| 94 | চুরানব্বই | churanôbbôi |
| 95 | পঁচানব্বই | pôchanôbbôi |
| 96 | ছিয়ানব্বই | chhiyanôbbôi |
| 97 | সাতানব্বই | shatanôbbôi |
| 98 | আটানব্বই | aTanôbbôi |
| 99 | নিরানব্বই | niranôbbôi |
| 100 | একশ | êksho or এক শত êk shôto |
Above 100: The Regular Pattern
From 100 onward, Bengali numbers become regular. One hundred is ekshô or ek shôto (both forms accepted). Higher numbers are formed by combining the hundreds word with the units:
| Number | Bengali | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | একশ | êksho |
| 101 | একশ এক | êksho êk |
| 150 | একশ পঞ্চাশ | êksho pôncash |
| 200 | দুইশ | duisho |
| 300 | তিনশ | tinsho |
| 500 | পাঁচশ | pãchsho |
| 999 | নয়শ নিরানব্বই | nôysho niranôbbôi |
| 1000 | এক হাজার | êk hajar |
| 1500 | দেড় হাজার | der hajar (one and a half) |
| 2000 | দুই হাজার | dui hajar |
| 10000 | দশ হাজার | dôsh hajar |
The Lakh and Crore System
South Asian numbering departs from the Western three-digit grouping (thousand, million, billion) at 100,000.
| Number | South Asian Name | Bengali | Western |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100,000 | one lakh | এক লাখ êk lakh | hundred thousand |
| 1,000,000 | ten lakh | দশ লাখ dôsh lakh | one million |
| 10,000,000 | one crore | এক কোটি êk koTi | ten million |
| 100,000,000 | ten crore | দশ কোটি dôsh koTi | hundred million |
| 1,000,000,000 | hundred crore | একশ কোটি êksho koTi | one billion |
| 10,000,000,000 | one thousand crore | হাজার কোটি hajar koTi | ten billion |
Larger units also exist but are rarely used in practice: one arob (অরব, a hundred crore or 10 billion), one kharob (খরব, ten thousand crore or 1 trillion).
Comma placement in the South Asian system reflects this logic. The first comma is placed three digits from the right (marking thousands), and subsequent commas are placed every two digits (marking lakhs and crores):
| Number | South Asian | Western |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 | ১,০০,০০০ or 1,00,000 | 100,000 |
| 1,000,000 | ১০,০০,০০০ or 10,00,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 12,345,678 | ১,২৩,৪৫,৬৭৮ or 1,23,45,678 | 12,345,678 |
A price like "fifty lakh rupees" (equivalent to 5 million rupees) is written ৫০,০০,০০০ টাকা and read pôncash lakh Taka.
Numbers with Classifiers
Bengali numbers are usually combined with classifiers when counting nouns. The most common classifiers:
| Classifier | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -টি Ti | inanimate objects, general | একটি বই êkTi boi (one book) |
| -টা Ta | inanimate objects, colloquial | একটা গাড়ি êkTa gari (one car) |
| -জন jon | people, respectful | দুজন ছাত্র dujon chhatro (two students) |
| -খানা khana | flat objects, buildings | তিনখানা বাড়ি tinkhana bari (three houses) |
| -টুকু Tuku | small amount, liquid | একটুকু পানি êkTuku pani (a little water) |
Some numbers merge with classifiers into single forms:
| Number | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ek + Ti | একটি êkTi | one (inanimate) |
| dui + jon | দুজন dujon | two (people) |
| tin + jon | তিনজন tinjon | three (people) |
| char + jon | চারজন charjon | four (people) |
Example sentences:
দুজন মেয়ে স্কুলে যাচ্ছে। Dujon meye shkule jachhe. Two girls are going to school.
আমি পাঁচটি আপেল কিনলাম। Ami pãchTi apel kinlam. I bought five apples.
তিনশ টাকা দিন। Tinsho Taka din. Give three hundred taka.
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinals in Bengali are partly irregular in the first few positions and then follow a regular -ম mô suffix pattern.
| Number | Ordinal Bengali | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | প্রথম | prothom |
| 2nd | দ্বিতীয় | ditiyo |
| 3rd | তৃতীয় | tritiyo |
| 4th | চতুর্থ | chôturtho |
| 5th | পঞ্চম | pôncom |
| 6th | ষষ্ঠ | shôshTho |
| 7th | সপ্তম | shôptôm |
| 8th | অষ্টম | ôshtom |
| 9th | নবম | nôbôm |
| 10th | দশম | dôshom |
| 11th onward | use -তম tôm suffix | êgaro+tômo = êgarotomo |
Example:
আমার দ্বিতীয় সন্তান। Amar ditiyo shôntan. My second child.
আজ বছরের প্রথম দিন। Aj bôchhôrer prothom din. Today is the first day of the year.
Fractions
| Fraction | Bengali | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | আধা or অর্ধেক | adha or ôrdhek |
| 1/4 | সিকি | shiki |
| 3/4 | পোনে এক | pone êk |
| 1 1/2 | দেড় | der |
| 2 1/2 | আড়াই | arai |
| 3 1/2 | সাড়ে তিন | share tin |
These half-number forms are so common in spoken Bengali that they function almost as regular number words. "One and a half hours" is দেড় ঘণ্টা der ghônTa. "Three and a half rupees" is সাড়ে তিন টাকা share tin Taka.
Example Sentences
আমার তিনটি বোন আছে। Amar tinTi bon achhe. I have three sisters.
বইটির দাম পঁচিশ টাকা। Boitir dam pôchish Taka. The book's price is twenty-five taka.
ট্রেন আধা ঘণ্টা দেরি করেছে। Tren adha ghônTa deri korechhe. The train is half an hour late.
বাংলাদেশের জনসংখ্যা সতেরো কোটি। Bangladesher jônoshôngkha shôtero koTi. Bangladesh's population is seventeen crore.
আজ তারিখ পাঁচ জানুয়ারি। Aj tarikh pãch januari. Today's date is January fifth.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
Trying to construct teens compositionally. Saying "dôsh-êk" for eleven by analogy with "ten-one" produces something nobody says. The teen words (egaro, baro, tero) are unique and must be memorized as words.
Misreading the South Asian comma convention. A Bengali document showing ৫,০০,০০০ means 500,000 (five lakh), not 5,000 or 50,000. Counting digits from the right and recognizing the two-digit grouping after the first three is essential for financial literacy in Bengali contexts.
Omitting the classifier. Saying ami pãch boi kinlam (I bought five book) without the classifier sounds abstract or archaic. Native usage requires ami pãchTi boi kinlam. The classifier is essentially mandatory with numbered count nouns in everyday speech.
Confusing lakh and crore with English million and billion. One lakh is a hundred thousand, not a million. One crore is ten million, not a billion. A news headline reporting "one crore victims" is reporting ten million victims, not one billion. Miscalibrating these magnitudes can lead to serious misunderstandings.
Using ordinal forms for dates the same way English does. "January fifth" in Bengali uses the cardinal pãch, not the ordinal pôncom. Dates and house numbers typically use cardinals. Ordinals are reserved for ranking and sequence: first place, second chapter, third time.
Mispronouncing the nasalized vowel in pãch. The five-letter word has a nasalized vowel in the middle of it (marked by the chondrobindu ঁ). Pronouncing it as "pach" without nasalization may still be understood but marks the speaker as a learner.
Writing Bengali digits as if they were Latin letters. Because the shapes are unfamiliar, learners sometimes draw them awkwardly. The key is that ০ is larger and rounder than the letter shape for the inherent vowel, ১ has a distinctive upper curl that descends to the line, and ২, ৩ should be carefully distinguished from ২ (two) vs similar letters.
Quick Reference
Bengali has a dedicated numeral script (০ through ৯) used alongside Western digits. Numbers 1 to 99 are largely distinct words inherited from Sanskrit and must be memorized individually. From 100 upward the pattern becomes regular: number plus sho (hundreds), number plus hajar (thousands), number plus lakh (hundred thousands), number plus koTi (ten millions). The South Asian comma convention places the first comma three digits from the right, then every two digits. Counting uses classifiers: -Ti for inanimates, -jon for people. Common ordinals are irregular up to tenth, then regular with -tôm suffix. Fractions use special forms: adha (half), der (one and a half), arai (two and a half), share plus number (number and a half).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bengali have its own numeral script?
Yes. Bengali has a dedicated set of digits from 0 to 9, used in newspapers, official documents, and everyday writing. Both Bengali and Western (Arabic) numerals are recognized. Prices, addresses, and clocks in Bangladesh and West Bengal are commonly written in Bengali numerals.
What is a lakh and a crore?
These are units in the South Asian numbering system. One lakh equals 100,000 (one hundred thousand). One crore equals 10,000,000 (ten million). Indian and Bangladeshi financial figures are typically expressed in lakhs and crores rather than millions and billions.
Why are Bengali compound numbers irregular?
Numbers from 1 to 99 in Bengali have largely unique forms rather than a transparent pattern of "twenty plus one, twenty plus two." This inherited from Sanskrit and produces approximately 99 distinct number words to memorize. The pattern becomes regular from 100 upward.
How do I write a large number like 500,000?
In the South Asian system, you would write this as pãch lakh, rendered as ৫,০০,০০০ or 5,00,000 with the distinctive comma placement (first comma after three digits from the right, then every two digits). The same number in the Western system would be 500,000 with commas every three digits.
Are ordinal numbers different from cardinals?
Yes. The first few ordinals are irregular: prothom (first), ditiyo (second), tritiyo (third), chôturtho (fourth). From fifth onward, the suffix -mô is commonly added: pôncom (fifth), shôshTho (sixth), shôptôm (seventh).
How do I count objects with numbers?
Bengali uses classifiers attached to numbers. The most common is -Ti for inanimate objects and -jon for people: êkTi boi (one book), dujon chhatro (two students). The classifier -Ta is more colloquial than -Ti. Without a classifier, the number alone sounds abstract or archaic.
Does Bengali use a decimal point?
Yes. The decimal point is written as a period or as dôshomik in formal expressions. 3.14 is read tin dôshomik êk char. Currency amounts commonly use the decimal point to separate whole rupees or taka from paisa.
See Also
- Bengali Script and Alphabet Complete Guide
- Bengali Pronunciation and Phonology Reference
- Bengali Greetings and Daily Phrases Reference
- Writing Systems and Alphabets Comparison Reference
- Bengali Verb Conjugation Complete Tense System Reference
- Bengali Pronouns Three Levels and Demonstratives Reference
- Bengali Postpositions Not Prepositions Reference
- Language Difficulty for English Speakers Reference
Author: Kalenux Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bengali have its own numeral script?
Yes. Bengali has a dedicated set of digits from 0 to 9 (০ ১ ২ ৩ ৪ ৫ ৬ ৭ ৮ ৯), used in newspapers, official documents, and everyday writing. Both Bengali and Western (Arabic) numerals are recognized. Prices, addresses, and clocks in Bangladesh and West Bengal are commonly written in Bengali numerals.
What is a lakh and a crore?
These are units in the South Asian numbering system. One lakh (লাখ or লক্ষ) equals 100,000 (one hundred thousand). One crore (কোটি koTi) equals 10,000,000 (ten million). Indian and Bangladeshi financial figures are typically expressed in lakhs and crores rather than millions and billions.
Why are Bengali compound numbers irregular?
Numbers from 1 to 99 in Bengali have largely unique forms rather than a transparent pattern of 'twenty plus one, twenty plus two.' This inherited from Sanskrit and produces approximately 99 distinct number words to memorize. The pattern becomes regular from 100 upward.
How do I write a large number like 500,000?
In the South Asian system, you would write this as পাঁচ লাখ pãch lakh, rendered as ৫,০০,০০০ or 5,00,000 with the distinctive comma placement (first comma after three digits from the right, then every two digits). The same number in the Western system would be 500,000 with commas every three digits.
Are ordinal numbers (first, second, third) different from cardinals?
Yes. The first few ordinals are irregular: প্রথম prothom (first), দ্বিতীয় ditiyo (second), তৃতীয় tritiyo (third), চতুর্থ chôturtho (fourth). From fifth onward, the suffix -ম mo is commonly added: পঞ্চম pôncho+mo (fifth), ষষ্ঠ shôshtho (sixth), সপ্তম shôptomo (seventh).
How do I count objects with numbers?
Bengali uses classifiers attached to numbers. The most common is -টি Ti for inanimate objects and -জন jon for people: একটি বই êkTi boi (one book), দুজন ছাত্র dujon chhatro (two students). The classifier -টা Ta is more colloquial than -টি. Without a classifier, the number alone sounds abstract or archaic.
Does Bengali use a decimal point?
Yes. The decimal point is written as a period or as দশমিক dôshomik in formal expressions. 3.14 is read হিন দশমিক এক চার (tin dôshomik êk chôr). Currency amounts commonly use the decimal point to separate whole rupees or taka from paisa.
