# 1x, 2x, 100x



## Encolpius

Hello, I wonder if you read that also like "once, twice, hundred times" etc...? 
In Czech and Hungarian 1x means *once*, etc..
If I am not mistaken in English speaking countries it is incomprehensible... 
Thanks


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## arielipi

In hebrwew its applicable.


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## Awwal12

At least it is not a conventional way to read that and write the respective phrases down in Russian. (I cannot guarantee, of course, that it will never be read that way by anybody, or that nobody can write down "трижды" as 3x.)


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## Rallino

That wouldn't make immediate sense in Turkish.
the word for _times_, as in 5 times, is "kere, defa, kez".
But the sign *x* is called "çarpı".

If you wrote: Oraya 3x gittim (to mean "I went there three times") people would be puzzled.


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## apmoy70

In Greek 1x can be read as:

*«άπαξ»* ['apaks] (adv.) --> _once_ < Classical adv. *ἅπαξ hápāks* < compound; masc. numeral *«εἷς» heîs* --> _one_ (PIE *sḗm-, _one_ cf Lat. _sem_el, _sem_per) + adj. *«πᾶς» pâs* (masc.) --> _whole, all, every_ (PIE *ph₂-ent-, _all_)

2x:

*«δις»* [ðis] (adv.) --> _twice_ < Classical adv. *«δίς» dís* (PIE *dui-s-, _twice_ cf Skt. द्वि (dvi), Lat. bis)

3x:

*«τρις»* [tris] (adv.) --> _thrice_ < Classical adv. *«τρίς» trís* (PIE *tri-s-, _thrice_ cf Skt. त्रिस् (tris), Lat. ter).

From four and above, the adverb is constructed by using the compound form of the numeral + adverbial suffix *«-άκις» -ákīs* --> _often_ (inhereted from PIE with uncertain explanation), whence:

4x:

*«Τετράκις»* (adv.) --> _four times_ < Classical adv. *«τετράκις» tĕtrákīs*

 5x:

*«Πεντάκις»* [pen'dakis] (adv.) --> _five times_ < Classical adv. *«πεντάκις» pĕntákīs*
....      

100x

*«εκατοντάκις»* [ekaton'dakis] (adv.) --> _one hundred times_ < Classical adv. *«ἑκατοντάκις» hĕkătŏntákīs*
etc.

 In the vernacular we prefer though when we see 1x, 2x, to use the periphrases *«μία φορά»* ['mi.a fo'a] --> _one instance_, *«δύο φορές»* ['ði.o fo'res] --> _two instances_....*«εκατό φορές»* [eka'to fo'res] --> _one hundred instances_


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## bibax

Encolpius said:


> Hello, I wonder if you read that also like "once, twice, hundred times" etc...?
> In Czech and Hungarian 1x means *once*, etc..
> If I am not mistaken in English speaking countries it is incomprehensible...
> Thanks


In Czech the character "x" means "iks" and not "times". Thus we read 2x as "two iks" (like 2y as "two ypsilon").

The sign for "times" (multiplication) is *×*. The substitution x for × is merely a laziness and a habit from the times of the mechanical typewriters with limited number of types. Now you can simply write × or  ÷ by pressing AltGr + ] or AltGr + [.

So we should have to write 1×, 2×, 100× , etc., not 1x, 2x, 100x .


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## Encolpius

I wonder how many people of 10 000 would use the ALtG+ to get the correct sign, the main thing is so far everybody understood what I meant...I just hope your comment will not confuse others to come...


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## Gavril

Encolpius said:


> Hello, I wonder if you read that also like "once, twice, hundred times" etc...?
> In Czech and Hungarian 1x means *once*, etc..
> If I am not mistaken in English speaking countries it is incomprehensible...



This convention is used in English shorthand writing as well.


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## learnerr

Awwal12 said:


> At least it is not a conventional way to read that and write the respective phrases down in Russian. (I cannot guarantee, of course, that it will never be read that way by anybody, or that nobody can write down "трижды" as 3x.)


Somehow in Russia this idea is not connected with multiplication… I.e., sure we have трижды пять пятнадцать (3 ⋅ 5 = 15), but usually the word умножить is used instead: семь умножить на двадцать два равно сто пятьдесят четыре (7 ⋅ 22 = 154); so, these funny phrases with трижды or дважды are not analysed by speakers.


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## bibax

Encolpius said:


> I wonder how many people of 10 000 would use the ALtG+ to get the correct sign, the main thing is so far everybody understood what I meant...I just hope your comment will not confuse others to come...


I am not entirely convinced that everybody understood what you meant.

IMO, the question is not how to say _once, twice,_ etc. in your language. The question is whether in your language the following sentence

_ “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.”_

can be rewritten this way

_“Before the rooster crows 2x, you will deny 3x that you even know me.”_

(or more properly, using the "times" sign ×,

_“Before the rooster crows 2×, you will deny 3× that you even know me.”_)


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## Thomas1

I see I missed the point. 

In Polish we would read "1x" as "jeden razy" (outside the context of pure mathematics).

To my experience, constructions like 2x/3x/100x/etc. are used sparingly in common texts, and even then these are, for instance, adverts. I'd say they are usually used where you can allow yourself a certain dose of informality. As far as I can tell the "x" means "times" (here is an example). Other than that this notation may well be a shorthand writing convention used for practical purposes by some people, who may apply other meanings to it.


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## apmoy70

bibax said:


> I am not entirely convinced that everybody understood what you meant.
> 
> IMO, the question is not how to say _once, twice,_ etc. in your language. The question is whether in your language the following sentence
> 
> _ “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.”_
> 
> can be rewritten this way
> 
> _“Before the rooster crows 2x, you will deny 3x that you even know me.”_
> 
> (or more properly, using the "times" sign ×,
> 
> _“Before the rooster crows 2×, you will deny 3× that you even know me.”_)


I think almost everyone has understood what Encolpius want's to know.
By the way, Encolpius, we tend to use x2 or x4 instead of 2x or 4x in a sentence. And it's not considered "proper" language


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## Encolpius

apmoy70 said:


> By the way, Encolpius, we tend to use x2 or x4....



It is so unique I cannot believe it, very interesting comment, Apmoy


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## arielipi

To further my answer:
in hebrew there's a suffix for twice - so much two is infused in our life that it has become to have a suffix for two, not just single and many - _-ayim _is the suffix.
if not the suffix we have a prefix from 1 to 10 more or less, then for the common bases (16, 64 etc etc) and for round numbers (10 100 1000 etc).
though not really used that way it is applicable; people though, above 3-4, use the equivalent of 'times'.


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## mataripis

x in Tagalog is "Ulit" but not commonly used. So 10x is sampung ulit.


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## Encolpius

Really no other answers? Here is a fantastic example form WR...


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## Radioh

Hi. I'd have had no idea what 1x, 2x, 100x,...were supposed to mean if I hadn't read this thread. I'm only familiar with x1, x2, x100,..
R.


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## Encolpius

Hello, Radioh, very interesting comment...but what does x1, x2, x100 mean in Vietnam?


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## Radioh

Greetings, Encolpius  x1 means 'once', x2 means 'twice'(to me). But I only see these notations in song lyrics. I've never seen 'number + x' structure used. And please have a look at this Wikipedia article, I think it might interest you.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/9X_Generation


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## Encolpius

Really very interesting, Radioh. I have learnt 1× might exist in French, so the origin might be of French. 
Interesting article, but that's another cup of tea....just read the answer #6 to find it is not 1X but 1×.
And X can mean in English (I am sure now) the part of a word, e.g: Dx instead of diagnosis in medical slang...


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## bibax

According to this article in German Wikipedia:

Das Malkreuz × wird eingesetzt


wenn nur der linke Faktor angegeben ist, also im Sinne von -mal oder -fach: Vergrößerung: 6×
etc.


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## Radioh

Encolpius said:


> Really very interesting, Radioh. I have learnt 1× might exist in French, so the origin might be of French.
> Interesting article, but that's another cup of tea....just read the answer #6 to find it is not 1X but 1×.
> And X can mean in English (I am sure now) the part of a word, e.g: Dx instead of diagnosis in medical slang...



I learn something new every day! Thanks, E.


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## Encolpius

bibax said:


> According to this article in German Wikipedia:
> 
> Das Malkreuz × wird eingesetzt
> 
> 
> wenn nur der linke Faktor angegeben ist, also im Sinne von -mal oder -fach: Vergrößerung: 6×
> etc.



Yes, that makes me think that I can read zoom 12× on my camera...but it is 12-fold, so a little but different. but it exists in English....


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## ger4

This might be slightly off-topic but in Germany x (often spelled like 'x', probably mathematically incorrect) is sometimes used in lists of articles:
5 x Artikel 34445
3 x Artikel 44335
...

In mathematics it can be used as well (considered unprofessional, though) as the usual 'dot' sign can sometimes be almost invisible.

Isn't it used in English in the combination 4x4 as well? (four by four, four-wheel driven car)


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## Encolpius

Hello Holger2014 and welcome to the forum. I hope you will participate as much as possible, we need the German language members here so much. 
Can you imagine a title of a German topic here like: Warum verwendet man *2×* Presen Perfect in diesem Satz?


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## ger4

Encolpius said:


> Hello Holger2014 and welcome to the forum. I hope you will participate as much as possible, we need the German language members here so much.
> Can you imagine a title of a German topic here like: Warum verwendet man *2×* Presen Perfect in diesem Satz?


Yes, "2 x Present Perfect" would definitely not be misunderstood, even though in more official usage we would rather put it like this: "Warum verwendet man zweimal [=twice] Present Perfect in diesem Satz?" "2 x" could be described as "shorthand" for "zweimal". - One of the things I find interesting about the 'All languages' forum in general is that you find out more about the practical use of languages (by native speakers), in addition to all the theoretical information you can get elsewhere, especially with regard to the "smaller" languages of the world. Always something to be discovered...


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## Encolpius

Thanks, Holger!


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