Just a Number

After trying to understand the danish numeral system, my three brain cells ended up with two hating each other and refuse to work, and the third got locked up in an insane asylum.

Well. The Danish system makes sence once you get aquaintet with its original meaning: it's a 20-based system.
We usually say 'one and a half' meaning 1.5
Back in the day we used to say 'half two' meaning 1.5
(We still do that when we talk about what time it is).
100 = 5x20
50 = halvtresens tyve (half three twenty)
60 = tressens tyve (three twenty)
70 = halvfjersens tyve (half four twenty)
80 = firsens tyve (four twenty)
90 = halvfemsens tyve (half five twenty)

@Knueflipper That's right and
40 = fyrre tyve (four twenty), even though it is meant as (four ten).

@Knueflipper oh shiit

@Knueflipper
> 80
ayyy lmao

But really, I'm learning a lot about different cultures even though I am a closeted and blindered American.

Sister France would like to have a word with Denmark.

In finnish it would go like: 99 is nine tens nine, 79 seven tens nine, 32 three tens two, same in Mandarin and Japanese

@Ice0tea From what ive seen swedish is similar, whereas germans count like us danes.

@SuperVegitoFAN Swedish is: nittio nio 90 plus 9 whilst finnish is nine times ten plus nine swedes count like the english and Russians whilst germans count 99 neunundneunzig 9 and 90

@Ice0tea hmm where did i then here

fem ti fem (five ten five 55) for swedish.

The Danish system is only a little weird once you get to 50. Before 50 it's just like the German counting system. After 50, the numbers are said like an equation only abbreviated keeping in mind there is always a multiplication of 20. for example 56 is seksoghalvtreds which = 6+((3 - 0.5)x 20)=56. Halvtreds in this case is implying 3 minus 1/2 of one (or 0.5). Another example 87. Syvogfirs = 7+(4X20) =87. Notice there is no halvs because 80 is evenly divisible by 20. Nioghalvfems is 99. 9+((5 - 0.5) x 20) = 99 And so on and so on.

@Fossegrim Danish here,, and i never knew it was based like this now it makes a bit more sense..

Its almost like Dutch counting. Only I get confused with two hunderd one threes nuts becoming 371. Wouldn't it become 231 nuts?
Don't know where this way of counting comes from anyway. English is so much better... at least... the modern english counting. Lets not go to counting distances and the old ways about money... Its good England will eventually embrace Metric system!

It's just like in French:

Four-twenties-nine, four-twenties-ten, four-twenties-eleven, four-twenties-twelve... four-twenties-nineteen, one hundred!

@Peachy00Keen But French is still simpler than Danish. I just came back from Denmark (I'm a Swede) and when they started with their halves, I simply said English.

Nope, I'm not even giving them the time to finish. Danish counting is so weird.

What kind of Danish Devilry is this?

my head hurts

@Moonshinekat
*brain-broke*

I love making fun of my Danish friend when she tries to explain Danish counting.