Numbers — The Most Difficult Part of Language
“¡Ciento ochenta y dos!”
The sounds rumbled around in my ears, but nothing was coherent. I had just ordered my food. There was no way two minutes later they would be calling my order number. So I relaxed and waited.
“¡Ciento ochenta y dos!”
Again.
“¡Ciento ochenta y dos!”
“That’s your number,” my husband (a native Spanish speaker) says to me
“Is it really?”
“¡Ciento ochenta y dos!”
Again. “One hundred eighty-two!”
I finally get my food.
When learning a new language, we often learn the numbers out of context. And worse, often as rote memorization — just counting from 1 to 100. In the same order.
So what happens when we need to use numbers in a real situation?
Like listening for your flight number to board the plane. Or getting the correct amount of change for a purchase. Or receiving a phone number. Or hearing the right date for your business meeting.
If we language learners can easily count to one hundred, why are numbers so confusing in real life situations?
Stop practicing the wrong way.
Stop counting up from 1. When you repeat the numbers in the same order over and over, your brain gets lazy. You don’t have to interpret the numbers randomly or at different moments throughout the day. Or in the middle of a conversation.
So what’s the solution?
Use numbers in every way possible in your target language.
For example, when I was learning Spanish, even though I could think in Spanish and talk in Spanish, any time it came to reading numbers or counting to myself, I was reverting back to my native English.
It was faster.
But it wasn’t very effective.
So what approach did I take instead?
Here are my top 5 strategies to get over the numbers hurdle:
1. Over-correct.
You already use numbers every day.
Now, each time you see those same numbers, say them in your Target Language.
For example, I need two spoons, count them “uno, dos” or “ein, zwei”.
You’re going down the stairs? Count them all.
Typing in your bank account number?
Entering your cell pincode?
Adding a new event to your calendar?
Checking your weight?
Say all the numbers in your target language.
It will be slow.
Very slow.
Even excruciating.
Moving through your regular daily activities at a slower pace because of numbers takes dedication and persistence.
But it will be worth it.
2. Pay attention to similar sounds.
For example, in English, the difference between “fifty” and “fifteen” or “thirty” and “thirteen” can often be confusing. Even “twelve” and “twenty” can be mixed up.
So, listen to native speakers saying similar numbers to catch the slight difference in the sounds. And slow the sounds down.
In English, when I say 50, I actually say “fif-dee” and when I say 15, the emphasis is on the end “n” sound, “fif-TEEN” .
Whatever your target language is, make sure you catch the slight differences between different numbers, because paying 15 dollars or 50 dollars is a big difference!
3. Don’t forget dates.
Another difficult part about numbers is that how we express dates can vary drastically from one language to the next.
In English, for instance, we use ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) to talk about dates. Think of the “Fourth of July” or the “first of the year”.
But when it comes to years, we often say them in pairs, such as “1890” is really “eighteen-ninety” NOT “one thousand, eight hundred, ninety” as it would be in Spanish!
And then, we talk about the 1800s as the “eighteen-hundreds”.
Saying dates in your native language is natural, but pay attention to your target language.
What changes when it comes to using numbers for dates? Learn the rules needed.
4. Practice listening.
Listen to numbers. Can you write them when you hear them?
Have a language coach say a variety of numbers — as prices, dates, temperatures, sports scores, measurements — and see if you can write them down correctly.
And if you don’t have a coach to help you, find clips of kids’ math lessons or listen to a sports review or watch a weather clip.
Listen for numbers, pause, and write them down! Then listen back slowly to see if you were correct.
5. Math Challenge
Doing simple math challenges can also be difficult in a new language. How would you express: 2+2=4 in your target language? Or what about 2/3 = 4/6? Can you say 0.005?
Learning math expressions for sums, fractions, and decimals might be the final step to truly overcoming all number difficulties.
When you find yourself exhausted of numbers, you’ll be well on your way to finally being free from the most difficult part of learning a language.
One day you will find yourself naturally counting out measurements for a new recipe and set the oven temperature all in your new language, and be surprised that it happened without thinking.
Or you’ll be sitting in a restaurant waiting for your number to be called, and pick it up on time — just like you would in your first language — and you’ll realize you finally understand.
While numbers can be one of the most difficult parts of learning a new language, by mixing up your routine and challenging yourself to use numbers every day in every possible way, you can overcome it.
So stop counting.
Start approaching each number in your new language.
And you will reach your language goal.
In 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2….1…
Go!
