The numerals are: 1, (y) awi; 2, (i) bale; 3, (i) atu; 4, (i) ne; 5, (i) tanu; 6, motoba; 7, nsambu; 8, mwambi; 9, libwa; 10, jumu or mokangu mwawi = one tying; 11, jumu na (y) awi; 12, jumu na (i) bale; 20, mikangu mibale; 30, mikangu miatu; 40, mikangu mine; 50, mikangu mitanu; 60, mikangu motoba; 70, mikangu nsambu; 80, mikangu mwambi; 90, mikangu libwa; 100, nkama or munkama; 200, minkama mibale; 1000, nkutu yawi; 2000, nkutu ibale; 10,000, mokoko; 20,000, mikoko mibale.
The meaning of mikangu mibale (20) is, two tyings. 10 is often called mokangu mwawi = one tying, from kanga = to tie. It is the custom of the natives to roll their 15-inch brass rods (the currency) into a series of rings about 1½ inches in diameter, and these they run one on another, like split rings, until there are ten linked together, and they call that mokangu mwawi = one tying = 10.
The ordinal numerals are:
| Motu wa bo = | The person who is first, or the first person. |
| Motu wa bane = | The person who is four, or the fourth person. |
| Motu wa motoba = | The person who is six, or the sixth person. |
| Motu wa libwa = | the person who is nine, or the ninth person. |
| Motu wa mikangu mibale na wawi = | twenty-first person. |
To use a word of another class we will take elamba = cloth.
| Elamba ya bo = | the cloth that is one, or the first cloth. |
| Elamba ya bine = | the cloth that is four or the fourth cloth. |
| Elamba ya motoba = | the cloth that is six or the sixth cloth. |
| Elamba ya mikangu miatu na bibale = | the cloth that is thirty and two, or the 32nd cloth. |
The fingers are constantly used in counting. If a man wants to say thirty-four he will say mikangu (= tyings = tens) and hold up three fingers for those to whom he is speaking to say miatu (= three), na = and, hold up four fingers for them to say (i) ne (= four). The letter in brackets changes according to the class of the noun understood. By this means they ensure their hearers following and understanding them, and no one can afterwards plead that they did not hear the price properly, as any discrepancy between the number mentioned by the hearers and the number of fingers held up would be corrected at the time.
The way in which the Boloki folk use their fingers is somewhat irregular, and for the sake of clearness I draw two hands and number the fingers 1 to 10—1 to 5 left hand, and 6 to 10 right hand. 1 and 10 are the thumbs. The right hand is used more than the left.
One is expressed by doubling 6, 7, 8, and putting 10 over them, thus leaving 9, the index finger, standing alone.
Two, by doubling down 6 and 7 and putting 10 over them, thus leaving 8 and 9 standing.