Learn English – special word for the numbers 11 to 19

numbersword-request

In my language (Ukrainian), there are special words describing amounts between 11 and 19. They are constructed in a similar way as the numerals, but do not specify the numeral itself:

Це коштує надцять тисяч ("this costs over-teen thousand" — meaning, "too expensive")
Я вдома вже кільканадцять хвилин ("I'm at home a few-over-teen minutes already");

Is there a special name for amount between 11 and 19 in English? The reason why I'm asking is that I'm thinking in these categories, and I don't want to use less-specific words if there's a better term for it.

I know that a person of that age is called a teenager. But I haven't heard the word teens to describe amount. I've also heard a dozen, which literally means 12, but I have the impression that it is sometimes used to say about 12.

Am I right, and are there other words describing such amount?

Best Answer

English does not have a word referring to this range specifically. Different languages divide up the world differently - this is one of those cases where the languages don't have equivalent terms.

The word teen or teens is close, but it has two limitations:

  1. "Teen" refers only to 13 - 19; it cannot refer to 11 or 12. Recently, the term "tween" has been coined to refer to the ages 10-12 for this very reason.
  2. "Teen" is most often found in reference to abstract ranges such as ages, years, temperatures and the like. So while we might refer to a "temperature in the teens" to mean a temperature between 13 - 19 (C or F), it's less common to refer to use it with concrete objects. It would be unusual or even wrong to say "I have teens of apples".

Since there is no specific term, you should instead use constructions such as:

  • Eleven to nineteen
  • In the low two digits
  • About 15, 15 or so, around 15, 15 give or take...
  • More than ten but less than twenty
  • Ten-something (I think this is more understandable and common than the alternative 'tensomething')
  • There is a slang term that is close to the meaning and usage, but its use may be marked in certain contexts and it is informal: umpteen; "It'll cost umpteen thousand dollars."
  • Or finally, reword your statement to avoid the situation
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