tag Numbers

Large numbers in Fon

After kanweko (100), fɔ̀ngbè builds large numbers by multiplication. Here is how to read 1000, 10,000 or 100,000 without making mistakes.

schedule 4 min
signal_cellular_alt Intermediate
1
Key unit

Afɔkànwé — 1000

Afɔkànwé
One thousand (1000)

Afɔkànwé comes from afɔ (foot/unit) + kànwé (two hundred fifty). It is the base unit for building all the thousands.

Afɔkànwé wè2000
Afɔkànwé atɔ̀n3000
Afɔkànwé atɔ́ɔ́n5000
Afɔkànwé wǒ10 000
2
Ten thousand

Afɔkànwé wǒ and its multiples

Wǒ = 10. So Afɔkànwé wǒ = 10 × 1000 = 10 000.

Afɔkànwé wǒ10 000
Afɔkànwé kò20,000 (kò = 20)
Afɔkànwé gbàn30,000 (gbàn = 30)
Afɔkànwé kanweko100 000
lightbulb

A multiplicative system

Fon uses a base-20 system for the tens. Once you understand the principle, reading a million (afɔkànwé livì) becomes natural.

These words spoken by a native speaker: Parlons Fongbe Academy — 79 video lessons with a native speaker.Discover

3
In practice

Counting money in CFA francs

Typical amounts in CFA:

Afɔkànwé atɔ́ɔ́n5,000 F (price of a modest room)
Afɔkànwé wǒ10,000 F (a skilled worker’s daily wage)
Afɔkànwé kanweko100,000 F (about €150)
Afɔkànwé livì1,000,000 F

Large numbers made easy

With afɔkànwé as the unit and the basic numbers (wè, atɔ̀n, atɔ́ɔ́n, wǒ, kanweko), you can express any amount up to a billion.

à ≠ ǎ
One tone, and everything changes
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