Numbers and Counting

Basic Numbers

Numbers 0-30

  • 0 - Cero
  • 1 - Uno (masculine), Una (feminine when counting)
  • 2 - Dos
  • 3 - Tres
  • 4 - Cuatro
  • 5 - Cinco
  • 6 - Seis
  • 7 - Siete
  • 8 - Ocho
  • 9 - Nueve
  • 10 - Diez
  • 11 - Once
  • 12 - Doce
  • 13 - Trece
  • 14 - Catorce
  • 15 - Quince
  • 16-19 - Dieciséis, Diecisiete, Dieciocho, Diecinueve
  • 20 - Veinte
  • 21-29 - Veintiuno, Veintidós, Veintitrés, etc. (Note: Use "veintiún" before masculine nouns)
  • 30 - Treinta

Tens (40-100)

  • 40 - Cuarenta
  • 50 - Cincuenta
  • 60 - Sesenta
  • 70 - Setenta
  • 80 - Ochenta
  • 90 - Noventa
  • 100 - Cien

Composite Numbers (31-99)

To form numbers from 31-99, combine the tens and the corresponding units, connecting them with 'y' (and).

  • Example:

    31 - Treinta y uno
    42 - Cuarenta y dos
    58 - Cincuenta y ocho

Higher Numbers

Hundreds

  • 100 - Cien
  • 101-199 - Ciento uno, ciento dos, ...
  • 200 - Doscientos (doscientas for feminine)
  • 300 - Trescientos (trescientas for feminine)
  • 400 - Cuatrocientos (cuatrocientas for feminine)
  • 500 - Quinientos (quinientas for feminine)
  • 600 - Seiscientos (seiscientas for feminine)
  • 700 - Setecientos (setecientas for feminine)
  • 800 - Ochocientos (ochocientas for feminine)
  • 900 - Novecientos (novecientas for feminine)

Thousands

  • 1000 - Mil
  • 2000 - Dos mil
  • 100,000 - Cien mil

Large Numbers

  • 1,000,000 - Un millón
  • 2,000,000 - Dos millones

Saying Years

Years are typically pronounced by dividing them into hundreds.

  • 1985 - Mil novecientos ochenta y cinco
  • 2015 - Dos mil quince
  • 2022 - Dos mil veintidós

Complex Numbers

Fractions

Fractions require the numerator to be a cardinal number and the denominator an ordinal number, except for 'half' which is 'medio/a'.

  • 1/2 - Un medio
  • 1/3 - Un tercio
  • 2/5 - Dos quintos

Decimals

Decimals are expressed by reading the integer part followed by 'coma' and then the decimal digits individually.

  • 3.14 - Tres coma catorce

Percentages

Percentages are straightforward: the number followed by 'por ciento'.

  • 25% - Veinticinco por ciento

Counting in Spanish

Basic Counting

Here's how you might use numbers in everyday contexts:

  • Counting items:

    Tengo tres manzanas. (I have three apples.)

  • Discussing price:

    Cuesta veinte euros. (It costs twenty euros.)

  • Telling time:

    Son las cuatro. (It's four o'clock.)

Exercises