Lesson 6
Numbers and Time
Introduction
Welcome to Lesson 6 of the Beginner Bengali Course! In this lesson, you will learn Bengali numbers from 1 to 20 and how to ask for and tell time in Bengali.
1. Bengali Numbers 1–20
Bengali numbers differ from the Roman numerals you’re used to. Here are the numbers from 1 to 20 in Bengali:
| Number | Bengali Script | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ১ | এক (Ek) |
| 2 | ২ | দুই (Dui) |
| 3 | ৩ | তিন (Tin) |
| 4 | ৪ | চার (Char) |
| 5 | ৫ | পাঁচ (Pañch) |
| 6 | ৬ | ছয় (Chhôy) |
| 7 | ৭ | সাত (Sat) |
| 8 | ৮ | আট (Aṭ) |
| 9 | ৯ | নয় (Nôy) |
| 10 | ১০ | দশ (Dôsh) |
| 11 | ১১ | এগারো (Egaro) |
| 12 | ১২ | বারো (Baro) |
| 13 | ১৩ | তেরো (Tero) |
| 14 | ১৪ | চৌদ্দ (Chôuddô) |
| 15 | ১৫ | পনেরো (Pônôro) |
| 16 | ১৬ | ষোল (Shôlo) |
| 17 | ১৭ | সতেরো (Shôtôro) |
| 18 | ১৮ | আঠারো (Aṭharo) |
| 19 | ১৯ | উনিশ (Unish) |
| 20 | ২০ | বিশ (Bish) |
2. Telling Time in Bengali
2.1 How to Ask for and Tell the Time
If asking for the time, use:
কত বাজে? (Koto Baje?) – What time is it?
To express the hour, use the structure:
- [Number] + টা (ta) + বাজে (baje)।
For example:
একটা বাজে। (Ekta Baje.) – It is 1 o’clock.
দুইটা বাজে। (Duita Baje.) – It is 2 o’clock.
পাঁচটা বাজে। (Pachta Baje.) – It is 5 o’clock.
2.2 Saying "Half Past," "Quarter Past," and "Quarter To"
In Bengali, specific words are used for half past, quarter past, and quarter to:
Half past (সাড়ে – Sare): Add “সাড়ে” before the number.
Quarter past (সওয়া – Sowa): Add “সওয়া” before the number.
Quarter to (পৌনে – Poune): Use “পৌনে” before the next hour.
Examples:
সাড়ে তিনটা (Sare Tin-ta) – It is half past three (3:30).
সওয়া সাতটা (Sowa Sat-ta) – It is quarter past seven (7:15).
পৌনে আটটা (Poune Aat-ta) – It is quarter to eight (7:45).
2.3 Saying the Exact Time
When expressing an exact time with minutes, the structure is:
[Hour] + টা (ta) + [Minute] + মিনিট (Minute)
Examples:
দুইটা সাতাশ মিনিট (Duita Shatash Minute) – It is 2:27.
পাঁচটা বাহান্ন মিনিট (Pach-ta Baananno Minute) – It is 5:52.
নয়টা চৌত্রিশ মিনিট (Noy-ta Choutrish Minute) – It is 9:34.
3. Other Time Words
In this section, we want to introduce some more commonly used words related to time.
3.1. General Time Vocabulary
| English | Bengali |
|---|---|
| time | সময় |
| hour | ঘণ্টা |
| minute | মিনিট |
| second | সেকেন্ড |
| o'clock | বাজে |
3.2. Times of the Day
| English | Bengali |
|---|---|
| dawn (4 - 5am) | ভোর (bhar) |
| morning (6 - 10am) | সকাল (shokal) |
| lunch (12 - 2pm) | দুপুর (dupur) |
| afternoon (3 - 5pm) | বিকাল (bikal) |
| evening (6 - 7pm) | সন্ধ্যা (shôndhya) |
| night (8pm - 3am) | রাত / রাত্রি (rat / ratri) |
3.3. Days of the Week
| English | Bengali |
|---|---|
| week | সপ্তাহ (shoptaho) |
| weekend | সাপ্তাহিক ছুটি (shoptahik chuti) |
| Monday | সোমবার (shombar) |
| Tuesday | মঙ্গলবার (mongolbar) |
| Wednesday | বুধবার (budhbar) |
| Thursday | বৃহস্পতিবার (brihoshpotibar) |
| Friday | শুক্রবার (shukrobar) |
| Saturday | শনিবার (shonibar) |
| Sunday | রবিবার (robibar) |
3.4. Seasons of the Year
| English | Bengali |
|---|---|
| summer | গ্রীষ্মকাল (grishshokal) |
| rainy season | বর্ষাকাল (borshakal) |
| early autumn | শরৎকাল (shorotkal) |
| late autumn | হেমন্তকাল (hemontokal) |
| winter | শীতকাল (sheetkal) |
| spring | বসন্তকাল (boshontokal) |
Although the Gregorian calendar is mostly used nowadays, we should know about the Bangla Calendar with its first month “Boishakh” lasting from mid of April till mid of May.
বৈশাখ – > জ্যৈষ্ঠ (summer) – > আষাঢ় – > শ্রাবণ (monsoon) – > ভাদ্র – > আশ্বিন (autumn) – > কার্তিক – > অগ্রহায়ণ (late autumn) – > পৌষ – > মাঘ (winter) – > মাঘ – > চৈত্র (spring)
Culture Info:
Bengali New Year
– পহেলা বৈশাখ or বাংলা নববর্ষ
It takes place on 14th April and it’s the 1st day of the Bengali Calendar. It is celebrated as a national holiday in Bangladesh, and on 14 or 15 April in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Northern Odisha and parts of Assam.
How to wish:
śubho nôbobôrṣo! (Happy New Year), or pôhelā boiākher śubhecchā roilo (Greetings on First day of Boiśhākh).
Exercises
Listening and Matching Numbers
Listen to audio clips of numbers and times.
Select the correct written form from a list.
Practice until you can recognize numbers and times by sound.
Practice Activity: Interactive Clock
Move the hands of the clock to match the given Bengali time phrases. Challenge yourself by setting the time based on audio cues.
Summary
This lesson is a bit shorter than usual. Nevertheless, make sure to know the numbers till 20 well and practice telling the time as it will come in very handy in listening and talking in everyday life!