Why are Hindi numbers hard to learn?

Unlike English, Hindi numbers from 1 to 100 are largely irregular — each one has its own form rather than a predictable tens-plus-units pattern. Most learners memorise 1–20 and the tens, then fill in the rest.

Numbers 1–100 in Hindi

Q: How do you say the number 1 in Hindi?

The number one in Hindi is एक, pronounced ek. It is one of the first words learners memorise and appears in counting, prices, and time.

Q: Are Hindi numbers written in Devanagari or Arabic numerals?

Both are used. Everyday India mostly writes Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3), but the traditional Devanagari digits १, २, ३ still appear in literature, signage, and formal Hindi. The spoken words like एक and दो stay the same either way.

Hindi numbers — गिनती (गिनती, ginti) — with Devanagari spelling, a clear pronunciation guide, and the pattern that makes 1 to 100 click.

Numbers are the first thing you reach for when you shop in a bazaar, settle an auto-rickshaw fare, tell the time, or count out change. In Hindi they are called गिनती (ginti), and learning them well is one of the highest-value steps a beginner can take. The good news is that you only need to truly memorise a few groups; the bad news — and the reason this page exists — is that Hindi counting is far less regular than English.

In English you learn “twenty”, then build twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three by simply attaching the units. Hindi does not work that way. Each number from 1 to 100 has its own distinct, often unpredictable form — इक्कीस (21) looks nothing like बीस (20) plus एक (1). Native speakers simply know all hundred by heart. So the realistic strategy is to memorise 1–20 and the ten markers (20, 30, 40…), which gives you anchors, and then practise the numbers in between until they stick.

Numbers 1 to 20

The core set every learner should memorise first.
Number	Hindi	Pronunciation
1	एक	ek
2	दो	do
3	तीन	teen
4	चार	chaar
5	पाँच	paanch
6	छह	chhah
7	सात	saat
8	आठ	aath
9	नौ	nau
10	दस	das
11	ग्यारह	gyaarah
12	बारह	baarah
13	तेरह	terah
14	चौदह	chaudah
15	पंद्रह	pandrah
16	सोलह	solah
17	सत्रह	satrah
18	अठारह	atharah
19	उन्नीस	unnees
20	बीस	bees

Counting by tens (10–100)

The ten markers act as anchors for everything in between.
Number	Hindi	Pronunciation
10	दस	das
20	बीस	bees
30	तीस	tees
40	चालीस	chaalees
50	पचास	pachaas
60	साठ	saath
70	सत्तर	sattar
80	अस्सी	assee
90	नब्बे	nabbe
100	सौ	sau

Full chart: Hindi numbers 1 to 100

Every number from 1 to 100 — with the Devanagari digit, the Hindi word and its pronunciation. Unlike English, numbers 21–99 are mostly irregular single words, so this chart is worth bookmarking.

Hindi counting (गिनती) from 1 to 100.
Number	Digit	Hindi	Pronunciation
1	१	एक	ek
2	२	दो	do
3	३	तीन	teen
4	४	चार	chaar
5	५	पाँच	paanch
6	६	छह	chhah
7	७	सात	saat
8	८	आठ	aath
9	९	नौ	nau
10	१०	दस	das
11	११	ग्यारह	gyaarah
12	१२	बारह	baarah
13	१३	तेरह	terah
14	१४	चौदह	chaudah
15	१५	पंद्रह	pandrah
16	१६	सोलह	solah
17	१७	सत्रह	satrah
18	१८	अठारह	athaarah
19	१९	उन्नीस	unnees
20	२०	बीस	bees
21	२१	इक्कीस	ikkees
22	२२	बाईस	baaees
23	२३	तेईस	teyees
24	२४	चौबीस	chaubees
25	२५	पच्चीस	pachchees
26	२६	छब्बीस	chhabbees
27	२७	सत्ताईस	sattaaees
28	२८	अट्ठाईस	atthaaees
29	२९	उनतीस	untees
30	३०	तीस	tees
31	३१	इकतीस	iktees
32	३२	बत्तीस	battees
33	३३	तैंतीस	taintees
34	३४	चौंतीस	chauntees
35	३५	पैंतीस	paintees
36	३६	छत्तीस	chhattees
37	३७	सैंतीस	saintees
38	३८	अड़तीस	adtees
39	३९	उनतालीस	untaalees
40	४०	चालीस	chaalees
41	४१	इकतालीस	iktaalees
42	४२	बयालीस	bayaalees
43	४३	तैंतालीस	taintaalees
44	४४	चौवालीस	chauvaalees
45	४५	पैंतालीस	paintaalees
46	४६	छियालीस	chhiyaalees
47	४७	सैंतालीस	saintaalees
48	४८	अड़तालीस	adtaalees
49	४९	उनचास	unchaas
50	५०	पचास	pachaas
51	५१	इक्यावन	ikyaavan
52	५२	बावन	baavan
53	५३	तिरपन	tirpan
54	५४	चौवन	chauvan
55	५५	पचपन	pachpan
56	५६	छप्पन	chhappan
57	५७	सत्तावन	sattaavan
58	५८	अट्ठावन	atthaavan
59	५९	उनसठ	unsath
60	६०	साठ	saath
61	६१	इकसठ	iksath
62	६२	बासठ	baasath
63	६३	तिरसठ	tirsath
64	६४	चौंसठ	chaunsath
65	६५	पैंसठ	painsath
66	६६	छियासठ	chhiyaasath
67	६७	सड़सठ	sadsath
68	६८	अड़सठ	adsath
69	६९	उनहत्तर	unhattar
70	७०	सत्तर	sattar
71	७१	इकहत्तर	ikhattar
72	७२	बहत्तर	bahattar
73	७३	तिहत्तर	tihattar
74	७४	चौहत्तर	chauhattar
75	७५	पचहत्तर	pachhattar
76	७६	छिहत्तर	chhihattar
77	७७	सतहत्तर	sathattar
78	७८	अठहत्तर	athhattar
79	७९	उन्यासी	unyaasee
80	८०	अस्सी	assee
81	८१	इक्यासी	ikyaasee
82	८२	बयासी	bayaasee
83	८३	तिरासी	tiraasee
84	८४	चौरासी	chauraasee
85	८५	पचासी	pachaasee
86	८६	छियासी	chhiyaasee
87	८७	सत्तासी	sattaasee
88	८८	अट्ठासी	atthaasee
89	८९	नवासी	navaasee
90	९०	नब्बे	nabbe
91	९१	इक्यानवे	ikyaanve
92	९२	बानवे	baanve
93	९३	तिरानवे	tiraanve
94	९४	चौरानवे	chauraanve
95	९५	पंचानवे	panchaanve
96	९६	छियानवे	chhiyaanve
97	९७	सत्तानवे	sattaanve
98	९८	अट्ठानवे	atthaanve
99	९९	निन्यानवे	ninyaanve
100	१००	सौ	sau

Devanagari digits. Alongside the words, Hindi has its own numeral glyphs: ० १ २ ३ ४ ५ ६ ७ ८ ९ (0–9). You'll still see these on old currency, clocks, and in literary printing, though everyday India mostly uses the familiar 1, 2, 3.

Usage notes & common mistakes

“Half”, “one and a half”, “two and a half”. Hindi has special single words you'll hear constantly with money and time: आधा (aadha, half), डेढ़ (dedh, one and a half) and ढाई (dhaai, two and a half). “Two and a half hours” is ढाई घंटे — not “do aur aadha”.

Sava and paune. सवा (sava) means “a quarter past / plus one quarter”, and पौने (paune) means “a quarter to / minus one quarter”. So “quarter past one” is सवा एक and “quarter to four” is पौने चार.

Big numbers. India counts in lakh (लाख = 100,000) and crore (करोड़ = 10,000,000) rather than millions and billions. This trips up newcomers reading prices, so it's worth learning early.

The most common beginner error is trying to build numbers logically the way English does. Resist it — say the irregular words as whole units. The second most common slip is pronouncing छह (6) like English “cha”; it's a breathy chh-ah.

Translate your own numbers

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Frequently asked

How do you say the number 1 in Hindi?

One is एक (ek). It's among the first words learners pick up and shows up everywhere — counting, prices, and time.

Are Hindi numbers written in Devanagari or Arabic numerals?

Both. Everyday India mostly writes the Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, but traditional Devanagari digits १ २ ३ still appear in literature, signage, and formal text. The spoken words like एक and दो are the same regardless.

Why are Hindi numbers considered hard?

Because 1–100 are largely irregular — each has its own form instead of a tidy tens-plus-units rule. Memorise 1–20 and the tens first, then practise the rest.

How do you count by tens in Hindi?

The tens are दस (10), बीस (20), तीस (30), चालीस (40), पचास (50), साठ (60), सत्तर (70), अस्सी (80), नब्बे (90), सौ (100).

What are lakh and crore?

They're the Indian units for large numbers: a लाख (lakh) is 100,000 and a करोड़ (crore) is 10,000,000. You'll see them constantly in prices and news.