Counting and approximation: una desena de, uns vint, al menys
About is counted through collectives: una desena de — about ten, una dotzena de — about twelve: after them an obligatory "de" — una desena de cases — some ten houses. For example: “A la plaça hi ha una desena de taules i cadascuna amb la seva ombra” — On the square there are some ten tables, each with its own shade. A rule from the Valencian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
About is counted through collectives: una desena de — about ten, una dotzena de — about twelve: after them an obligatory "de" — una desena de cases — some ten houses.
Before a number approximation puts uns/unes — "roughly": uns vint ous — some twenty eggs, no fewer and no more. The lower bar — al menys — "at least": Al menys deu persones han firmat — at least ten people have signed. Precision is not the main hero here: the order of magnitude is.
Table
| turn | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| una desena de + noun | about ten | una desena de cases |
| uns/unes + number | roughly so many | uns vint ous |
| al menys + number | at least | al menys deu persones |
By example
- A la plaça hi ha una desena de taules i cadascuna amb la seva ombraOn the square there are some ten tables, each with its own shade
- Ven uns vint ous al dia, mai mésHe sells some twenty eggs a day, no more
- Al menys deu persones han firmat la cartaAt least ten people signed the letter
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Counting and approximation: how does it work in Valencian?
About is counted through collectives: una desena de — about ten, una dotzena de — about twelve: after them an obligatory "de" — una desena de cases — some ten houses.
What does it look like in an example sentence Valencian?
“A la plaça hi ha una desena de taules i cadascuna amb la seva ombra” — On the square there are some ten tables, each with its own shade. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.