The map above shows the various ways you can say the number 92 in different European languages. Most use the format of 90 + 2 (e.g. ninety-two), while German, Dutch and Slovenian use 2 + 90.
However, France and especially Denmark are the big outliers.
In France you 4×20 + 12. However, in the French speaking part of Belgium and Switzerland they use 90 +2.
And in Danish you say 2 + (5-0.05) X 20.
Here’s a table below with more about them:
| Language | Number | Math behind it (literal translation) |
|---|---|---|
| English | ninety-two | ninety (90) + two (2) |
| French (France) | quatre-vingt-douze | quatre-vingts (4×20=80) + douze (12) |
| French (Belgium+Swtizerland) | nonante-deux | nonante (90) + deux (2) |
| Danish | tooghalvfems | to (2) + og (and) + halvfems (half of fifth × 20 = 90) |
| Finnish | yhdeksänkymmentäkaksi | yhdeksän (9) × kymmenen (10) + kaksi (2) |
| German | zweiundneunzig | zwei (2) + und (and) + neunzig (90) |
| Dutch | tweeënnegentig | twee (2) + en (and) + negentig (90) |
| Spanish | noventa y dos | noventa (90) + y (and) + dos (2) |
| Italian | novantadue | novanta (90) + due (2) |
| Portuguese | noventa e dois | noventa (90) + e (and) + dois (2) |
| Norwegian | nittito | nitti (90) + to (2) |
| Swedish | nittiotvå | nittio (90) + två (2) |
| Polish | dziewięćdziesiąt dwa | dziewięćdziesiąt (90) + dwa (2) |
| Czech | devadesát dva | devadesát (90) + dva (2) |
| Slovak | deväťdesiatdva | deväťdesiat (90) + dva (2) |
| Russian | девяносто два (devyanosto dva) | девяносто (90) + два (2) |
| Ukrainian | дев'яносто два (dev'yanosto dva) | дев'яносто (90) + два (2) |
| Greek | ενενήντα δύο (enenínta dýo) | ενενήντα (90) + δύο (2) |
| Hungarian | kilencvenkettő | kilencven (90) + kettő (2) |
| Croatian | devedeset dva | devedeset (90) + dva (2) |
| Romanian | nouăzeci și doi | nouăzeci (90) + și (and) + doi (2) |
| Bulgarian | деветдесет и две (devetdeset i dve) | деветдесет (90) + и (and) + две (2) |
Which is your favourite?
poyntre says
In Basque is also laurogeita hamaika, literally 4 x 20 + 12, as in France French
Brilliant Maps says
That’s very cool and very random.
jj says
In Czech you can say it both 90+2 (devadesát dva) and 2+90 (dvaadevadesát).
Brilliant Maps says
That’s interesting and also confusing. Can you do the same for other numbers e.g. 82?
Martin says
“90+2” is grammatically correct way but I suppose the opposite order is a take from German language (and it can be used for any such number like your mentioned 82 “dvaaosmdesát” = two-and-eighty). In general, you can find a lot of takes from German in Czech, and not only in language – culture, cuisine, anything.
Wladimir Palant says
It’s the same with Norwegian: you can say both 90+2 (nittito) and 2+90 (toognitti). I’ve been told that the latter is the “old” way and slowly going away but for now both are valid.
DrGecko says
In traditional Welsh, it’s two ten on 3 x 20 (deuddeg ar trigain). 96 would be 1 on 15 on 3 x 20 (un ar pymtheg ar trigain), and 98 would be 2 nines on 3 x 20 (deunaw ar trigain).
Pétur Edvardsson says
3×20 is only 60 right ? Also in welsh ?
Betterbee says
Is the second bit of the Danish number 5-0.5 or 5-0.05? The map gives the former, the text the latter.
Jes Bodi Klinke says
The author meant to write 5 – 0.5 both places of course. Even though the order it is spoken is actually 2 + (-1/2 + 5) x 20.
Ray Anderson says
Surely Welsh would be 2 ten 4 x 20?
John Johnson says
Danish ridiculous and unnecessary overkill and hard to understand.