Lakh and Crore: The Indian Numbering System Explained
In South Asia, large amounts are counted in lakh and crore rather than millions. Here is how the system works and how to write it.
The units
| Name | Value | Written |
|---|---|---|
| thousand (hazar) | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| lakh | 100,000 | 1,00,000 |
| crore | 10,000,000 | 1,00,00,000 |
A lakh is a hundred thousand and a crore is a hundred lakh. English has no single word for either, so 10,000,000 is “ten million” in English but “one crore” in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Digit grouping
The Indian system groups the last three digits, then pairs of two: 12,34,567 instead of 1,234,567. The number is read from the left as: twelve lakh, thirty-four thousand, five hundred sixty-seven.
Numbrate output
| Figure | Hindi (Numbrate output) |
|---|---|
| 100000 | एक लाख |
| 150000 | एक लाख पचास हजार |
| 1234567 | बारह लाख चौंतीस हजार पांच सौ सड़सठ |
| 10000000 | एक करोड़ |
| 12345678.9 | एक करोड़ तेईस लाख पैंतालीस हजार छह सौ अठहत्तर दशमलव नौ |
Bengali and Urdu follow the same structure with their own words. The currency mode adds the unit and subunit, so 1,234.56 INR in Hindi reads एक हजार दो सौ चौंतीस रुपये और छप्पन पैसे. In English, Numbrate writes the same amount as “one thousand two hundred thirty-four rupees and fifty-six paise”.
Why English output differs
Numbrate’s English page uses the international system (million, billion). If you need English text in the Indian style (“twelve lakh thirty-four thousand”), use the Hindi page for the numeric structure and translate the unit words, or write the lakh and crore units by hand.
Typical uses
- Amounts in cheques, loan documents and property papers in India.
- Salary and budget reports in lakh and crore.
- Teaching material that compares the Indian and international systems.
Frequently asked questions
How many zeros are in a crore?
A crore is 10,000,000: one followed by seven zeros.
How many lakhs make a million?
Ten lakh make one million.
Which languages use lakh and crore in Numbrate?
Hindi, Bengali and Urdu.