tyve
/tyːvə/
The Danish word for twenty is tyve. Wiktionary also lists toti.
Meaning: cardinal number (num)
Ways to say it
| Danish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tyve | /tyːvə/ |
| toti | [ˈto.ti] (narrow) |
Which one should you use?
tyve is the standard form of the number, while toti is an alternative form.
How do you pronounce it?
/tyːvə/
Did you know?
- Danish uses a vigesimal system, or base-20, for some of its higher numbers, which is a remnant of ancient Germanic counting practices.
- The alternative form toti is a literal construction meaning 'two tens', following a mathematical logic rather than a unique name.
- In Danish, the number 20 is the base for a unique way of counting that can lead to confusion for learners when they reach the 80s and 90s.
Examples in context
- Hun er over tyve.She is over twenty.This sentence shows how to use tyve when referring to age.Tatoeba #3687789 by Sharaf78, translation #1173749 by CK
- Hun har tyve børn.She has twenty children.This sentence shows how to use tyve when counting people.Tatoeba #3338379 by danepo, translation #3091046 by mraz
- Lån mig tyve euro.Lend me twenty euros.This sentence shows how to use tyve when referring to an amount of money.Tatoeba #12333915 by danepo, translation #9944294 by ddnktr
- Hvad er to gange ti?What is two times ten?
- Kan jeg få 20 kroner?Can I have 20 kroner?
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noah and Emma are looking at a price tag in a shop.
- NoahKoster den tyve kroner?Does it cost twenty kroner?
- EmmaNej, den koster tyve euro.No, it costs twenty euros.
- NoahDet er meget dyrt.That is very expensive.
- EmmaJa, det har du ret i.Yes, you are right about that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twenty” translations and entries tyve, toti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries toti, tyve, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
