Sindarin Vocabulary: Numbers
Complete Sindarin number system: cardinals 1–1000, ordinals 1st–10th, number compounds, duodecimal counting, and number words in place names.
Cardinal Numbers 1–10
These ten number words are attested or near-attested in Tolkien's linguistic papers (Parma Eldalamberon, LotR appendices). Use them with confidence.
| Number | Sindarin | Noldorin | IPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | min | min | /mɪn/ | Also er in compounds meaning "alone/single" |
| 2 | tad | tad | /tad/ | Prefix tad- for dual compounds |
| 3 | neled | neled | /ˈnɛlɛd/ | Prefix form nel- |
| 4 | canad | canad | /ˈkanɑd/ | Prefix form can- |
| 5 | leben | leben | /ˈlɛbɛn/ | Cognate with Quenya lempe |
| 6 | eneg | eneg | /ˈɛnɛg/ | |
| 7 | odog | odog | /ˈɔdɔg/ | |
| 8 | tolodh | tolodh | /ˈtɔlɔð/ | Final -dh is characteristic Sindarin |
| 9 | neder | neder | /ˈnɛdɛr/ | |
| 10 | caer | pae | /kaɛr/ | Pae is older Noldorin form |
Notes on Individual Numbers
Min (1): The counting form. The compound form er appears in names meaning "alone, single, unique": ereb (lonely, from er + -eb), Erebor (the Lonely Mountain), Erestor. Ordinal: minui (first).
Tad (2): Directly related to the dual number (Lesson 23). In Orgaladhad (Two Trees Day): galadh-ad = two-trees (using the -ad dual suffix). Ordinal: tadui (second).
Neled (3): Ordinal neledui (third). Possibly embedded in Neldoreth (the great beech forest of Doriath where Lúthien danced), though the etymology there is debated.
Tolodh (8): The final -dh is phonologically significant — Quenya cognate tolto ended in -t, which became -dh in Sindarin through regular sound change. This gives us confidence in the form.
Caer (10): The Third Age Sindarin form. Older Noldorin used pae (related to Quenya quëan). Both appear in Tolkien's linguistic papers; caer is preferred for Neo-Sindarin.
Cardinals 11–20
Formed by combining units with the ten-base. The joining element -eg/-ig appears in Tolkien's Noldorin number notes:
| Number | Sindarin | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | minig / minib | min + copulative element |
| 12 | tadeg | tad + -eg |
| 13 | neledeg | neled + -eg |
| 14 | canadeg | canad + -eg |
| 15 | lebeneg | leben + -eg |
| 16 | enegeg / enedeg | eneg + -eg (may contract) |
| 17 | odogeg | odog + -eg |
| 18 | tolodheg | tolodh + -eg |
| 19 | nedereg | neder + -eg |
| 20 | minib / minib caer | twenty; formed as "two tens" |
These forms (11–19) are ᴺS. reconstructions based on Tolkien's Noldorin number papers. The exact copulative element is debated among scholars.
Round Numbers: Tens, Hundreds, Thousands
| Number | Sindarin | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | caer | S./N. | Base form |
| 20 | minib / tad caer | ᴺS. | "Two tens" or minib (Noldorin compound) |
| 30 | neled caer | ᴺS. | Three tens |
| 40 | canad caer | ᴺS. | Four tens |
| 50 | leben caer | ᴺS. | Five tens |
| 100 | dad / hand | ᴺS.[N.] | Hundred |
| 1000 | meneg | S. | Thousand — fully attested in Menegroth |
Meneg — The Attested Thousand
Menegroth = "Thousand Caves" (Menegrost → Menegroth) is a direct attestation in The Silmarillion:
- meneg = thousand
- roth = cave, underground dwelling (also in Nargothrond)
This is one of the most confidently attested Sindarin number words. Thingol's great underground palace in Doriath — with its thousand carved caves and halls — gives us the Sindarin word for a thousand on a silver platter.
Ordinal Numbers (First through Tenth)
Ordinals are formed from cardinals with the suffix -ui:
| Ordinal | Sindarin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | minui | first |
| 2nd | tadui | second |
| 3rd | neledui | third |
| 4th | canadui | fourth |
| 5th | lebenui | fifth |
| 6th | enegui | sixth |
| 7th | odogui | seventh |
| 8th | tolodhui | eighth |
| 9th | nederui | ninth |
| 10th | caerui | tenth |
Attested use of ordinals: The phrase erin dolothen Ethuil — "on the eighth day of Spring" — appears in Tolkien's linguistic papers. Dolothen is a variant form of the ordinal eight; erin = "on the day of" (prepositional form). This attested phrase confirms the ordinal suffix pattern.
Er — "One" in Compounds and Names
The form er (one, alone, unique) appears frequently in Sindarin names and compounds:
| Word | Breakdown | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ereb | er + -eb (adj. suffix) | lonely, isolated |
| Erebor | ereb + -or (place suffix) | The Lonely Mountain |
| Erestor | er + stor (warden?) | Lonely Warden? |
| Erui | er + -ui | First (River) — the first river of Gondor |
| erui | er + -ui | first, single (ordinal/adj.) |
| Eregion | ereg (holly) — different root! | Land of Holly (not "one-land") |
The form er in names means "alone, unique, single" rather than the counting number "one." When counting objects, use min; when naming something as unique or solitary, use er.
Duodecimal Counting: Tolkien's Theory
Tolkien speculated in linguistic notes that the Elves may have originally counted in base 12 (duodecimal) rather than base 10 (decimal). Evidence:
| Base-12 significance | Notes |
|---|---|
| 12 months in the Elvish year | The Kings' Reckoning calendar has 12 months |
| Elvish week = 6 days | Half of 12 |
| Minib as a possible 12-base word | The 11/12 range in Noldorin numbers shows anomalous forms |
| Quenya yunque (twelve) | Seems to be a special number in Quenya counting |
If true, Elvish mathematics would have used:
- Twelve as the primary round number (as humans use ten)
- Meneg (thousand) may actually represent 1728 (12³) rather than 1000 (10³)
This is speculative — Tolkien never finalized it — but the implication is that when Thingol named his palace "Thousand Caves," he may have meant something closer to 1728 caves by Elvish reckoning. The architectural ambition of Menegroth is thus even greater than the translated name suggests.
Number Words in Place Names
| Place Name | Number Element | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Menegroth | meneg (1000) | Thousand Caves |
| Orgaladhad | tad (2), via -ad | Two Trees Day |
| Neldoreth | possibly nel- (3) | debated — possibly "three-forest" or beech-name |
| Tad-dail | tad (2) | Biped (two-legged; hobbit term used by Treebeard) |
| Erui | er (1/first) | First (as in the first river) |
| Ereb | er (one, alone) | Lonely (the Lonely Mountain) |
| Emyn Beraid | — | Towers of the Sea (three towers; neled not used here) |
Arithmetic Expressions
Basic arithmetic in Sindarin (Neo-Sindarin reconstruction):
| Expression | Sindarin | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 + 2 = 4 | tad a tad — canad | a = and (additive conjunction) |
| 3 × 3 = 9 | neled·neled — neder | multiplication by juxtaposition |
| 10 − 1 = 9 | caer ned min — neder | ned = minus (ᴺS.) |
| half | perin / per- | Periannath (Hobbits) = "Half-size people" |
| double | tad- prefix | tadui also "double"; tad- in compounds |
The Hobbit Word: Perin
Periannath (the Hobbits of the Shire) = perin + -annath (collective plural). The peri- element means "half" — Tolkien's joke that Hobbits are "Half-size folk." The same root gives:
- Perin = half
- Peringul = half-south (a directional compound)
- The concept of "half-elf" (Peredhil or Perdhel) = per- + edhel (elf)
Practice
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Count from one to five in Sindarin. (min, tad, neled, canad, leben)
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What does meneg mean and where is it attested? ("Thousand"; attested in Menegroth = "Thousand Caves")
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Give the ordinal form for "third." (neledui)
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What is the difference between min and er? (min = counting "one"; er = "alone, unique, single" in compounds and names)
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What does Tad-dail mean and who used it? ("Biped" = two-legged; Treebeard's word for Hobbits)
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Translate "the first cave" into Sindarin. (I roth minui — i + roth (cave) + minui (first); roth would not mutate after ordinal here)