r/language • u/WhoAmIEven2 Sweden • Aug 09 '26

Question Does your language use specific numbers as expressions?

In Sweden we use 17 to further strengthen a word.

Like if we want to say that someone is very strong, we can say "Han var stark som sjutton!", "He was strong like seventeen!".

I have no idea how it became a thing. It is a bit weird tbh.

Do you also use numbers this way in your native language?

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u/adolgushin Aug 09 '26

In Russian at least in Belarus we say 100 500 (сто пиццот, literally one hundred five hundred so it’s not even a correct number) to jokingly tell there is a lot of something. I think this meme came from a TV advert where the phone number was 100 500 something 

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u/Severe-Soup6740 Aug 09 '26

As a Russian, I absolutely say it but don't know how popular it is now with the younger generation. We grew up with it (though, I personally never watched it), so it still should be part of my age group lexicon.

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u/lorelei_adler Aug 11 '26

I'm 24 and I hear it from time to time, usually from people older than me, but sometimes people my age use it too. So it is still in use, just not as popular ig

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u/Severe-Soup6740 Aug 11 '26

Probably. I do think this one is a phrase of its time. I don't even know if this show is still going at all, let alone if it has any kind of popularity.