SPANISH
NUMBERS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
WHAT TO LEARN ABOUT NUMBERS?
CARDINAL NUMBERS ORDINAL NUMBERS COMMON PHRASES &
(NÚMEROS CARDINALES) (NÚMEROS ORDINALES) PRONUNCIATION TIPS
INTRODUCTION
Numbers are an essential part of any language,
including Spanish. Learning Spanish numbers is
crucial for everyday communication, whether
you're counting money, telling time, or giving
someone your phone number. In this lesson, we'll
explore the Spanish number system, including
cardinal and ordinal numbers, as well as some
useful phrases and tips for pronunciation.
CARDINAL NUMBERS (NÚMEROS CARDINALES)
Cardinal numbers are used 5. cinco (seen-koh) 15. quince (keen-say)
for counting objects, 6. seis (sayss) 16. dieciséis (dyeh-thee-sayss)
expressing quantity, and
7. siete (syeh-teh) 17. diecisiete (dyeh-thee-syeh-
performing basic
8. ocho (oh-choh) teh)
mathematical operations.
Here are the Spanish 9. nueve (nweh-veh) 18. dieciocho (dyeh-thee-oh-
cardinal numbers from 1 to choh)
10. diez (dyehs)
20: 19. diecinueve (dyeh-thee-
11. once (ohn-say)
1. uno (ooh-noh) nweh-veh)
12. doce (doh-say)
2. dos (dohs) 20. veinte (veh-een-teh)
13. trece (treh-say)
3. tres (trehs) 14. catorce (kah-tor-say)
4. cuatro (kwah-troh)
Beyond 20
Once you've mastered the numbers up to 20, counting in Spanish
becomes much easier. The pattern becomes more predictable. You can
create numbers beyond 20 by combining the tens (treinta, cuarenta,
cincuenta, etc.) with the units (1-9) using "y" (and). For example:
• 21: veintiuno (veh-een-tee-oo-noh)
• 32: treinta y dos (trayn-tah ee dohs)
• 45: cuarenta y cinco (kwah-ren-tah ee seen-koh)
• 58: cincuenta y ocho (seen-kwahn-tah ee oh-choh)
• 69: sesenta y nueve (seh-sen-tah ee nweh-veh)
Tens and Hundreds
To count by tens, simply add the following pattern:
corresponding multiple of ten in front of the • 100: cien (syen) [used for exactly 100]
unit. For example:
• 200: doscientos (dohs-syen-tohs)
• 30: treinta (trayn-tah)
• 300: trescientos (trehs-syen-tohs)
• 40: cuarenta (kwah-ren-tah)
• 400: cuatrocientos (kwah-troh-syen-tohs)
• 50: cincuenta (seen-kwahn-tah)
• 500: quinientos (kee-nyen-tohs)
• 60: sesenta (seh-sen-tah)
• 600: seiscientos (sayss-syen-tohs)
• 70: setenta (seh-tayn-tah)
• 700: setecientos (seh-teh-syen-tohs)
• 80: ochenta (oh-chen-tah)
• 800: ochocientos (oh-choh-syen-tohs)
• 90: noventa (noh-ven-tah)
• 900: novecientos (noh-veh-syen-tohs)
For numbers in the hundreds, use the
Thousands and Beyond
To express numbers in the thousands and beyond, Spanish follows
a similar pattern as in English. For example:
• 1,000: mil (meel)
• 2,000: dos mil (dohs meel)
• 10,000: diez mil (dyehs meel)
• 1,000,000: un millón (oon mee-yon)
ORDINAL NUMBERS (NÚMEROS ORDINALES)
Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the order or sequence of
items. They often end in -o for masculine and -a for feminine. Here
are the first few ordinal numbers:
• primero (pree-meh-ro) - first
• segundo (seh-goon-doh) - second
• tercero (tehr-seh-roh) - third
• cuarto (kwahr-toh) - fourth
• quinto (keen-toh) - fifth
COMMON PHRASES
Here are some common phrases and situations where you'll use numbers in
Spanish:
• Telling Time: To tell the time, you'll use numbers along with the word "hora"
(hour). For example, "Son las tres" (It's three o'clock).
• Age: When asked, "¿Cuántos años tienes?" (How old are you?), you'll use
numbers to respond with your age.
• Phone Numbers: Giving out phone numbers, such as "Mi número de teléfono
es tres-cinco-cero-dos" (My phone number is 3502).
• Counting Objects: When counting objects, like "Tengo cinco manzanas" (I
have five apples), you'll need numbers.
PRONUNCIATION TIPS
• Pay attention to the pronunciation of "c" and "z" before
"e" and "i." They are pronounced like the English "th."
For example, "cinco" is pronounced "seen-koh."
• The Spanish "r" is rolled or trilled, which might take
some practice.
• Some numbers, like "veinte," can be a bit challenging
for English speakers due to the "v" sound.
CONCLUSION
Learning Spanish numbers is a fundamental
step in mastering the language. Practice
counting and using numbers in everyday
situations to improve your fluency. As you
become more comfortable with numbers, you'll
be better equipped to communicate effectively
in Spanish. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)
