tal
/tal/
The English phrase 'numbers' is translated to Danish as tal.
tal is used to refer to symbols or words used to count or measure things.
Which one should you use?
Use cifre when referring specifically to the individual digits (0-9) that make up a number, whereas tal refers to the numbers themselves.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tal is the same in both singular and plural forms.
How do you pronounce it?
/tal/
Did you know?
- When counting, Danes use the word halv to indicate 'half', but in time-telling, halv otte actually means 7:30 because it refers to half an hour until the next number.
- Danish utilizes the word tal in the term talsmands, meaning a 'spokesperson', literally translating to 'number-man' or 'counting-man'.
- Danish has a unique way of naming numbers from 50 to 99 that uses a 'reversed' structure, where the units are spoken before the tens.
Examples in context
- Toms tal er forkerte.Tom's numbers are incorrect.This sentence shows how to use tal when talking about someone's incorrect numbers.Tatoeba #11720695 by danepo, translation #5737948 by CM
- 1, 3 og 5 er ulige tal.One, three, and five are odd numbers.This sentence uses tal to describe odd numbers.Tatoeba #570306 by danepo, translation #73502 by CK
- Cifre er for tal hvad bogstaver er for ord.Digits are to numbers what letters are to words.This sentence illustrates the distinction between cifre and tal.Tatoeba #4970188 by danepo, translation #3675881 by speedwell
- Jeg har tre bøger på min hylde.I have three books on my shelf.
- Han er fem år gammel.He is five years old.
- Det er første gang, jeg besøger Danmark.This is the first time I'm visiting Denmark.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Mikkel are studying for a math test together.
- EmmaKan du hjælpe mig med disse tal?Can you help me with these numbers?
- MikkelJa, hvilke tal er svære for dig?Yes, which numbers are difficult for you?
- EmmaJeg forstår ikke de store tal her.I don't understand the large numbers here.
- MikkelDet skal jeg nok forklare dig, Emma.I can explain that to you, Emma.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
