Spanish
The Basics
Numbers
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Numbers
Basics of Numbers in Spanish
Cardinal Numbers
- Cardinal numbers are essentially counting numbers. These are the most basic type of number in Spanish and are used to denote quantities.
- 0-10 are: cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.
- 11-20 are: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve, veinte.
- Pay close attention to the changes in structure from 16-19, where the numbers start with "dieci". This construction is similar to the English "ten-six" for sixteen.
- The tens from 30-100 are: treinta, cuarenta, cincuenta, sesenta, setenta, ochenta, noventa, cien.
- To form numbers like 21, 35, or 67, you simply follow the ten's place number (veinte, treinta, sesenta) with "y" and the unit's place number (uno, cinco, siete). For example, 21 is "veintiuno", 35 is "treinta y cinco", and 67 is "sesenta y siete".
Ordinal Numbers
- Ordinal numbers denote position or order in a set: first, second, third, etc.
- Ordinal numbers from 1-10 are: primero, segundo, tercero, cuarto, quinto, sexto, séptimo, octavo, noveno, décimo.
- Unlike English, Spanish ordinal numbers are often shortened when referring to centuries, kings, and queens. In those cases, you might see "primer" instead of "primero", or "segund" instead of "segundo".
- When referencing feminine or neuter nouns, ordinal numbers are made feminine by adding 'a' to the end of the number. Example: "primera", "segunda".
- Ordinal numbers above 10 are less commonly used in Spanish. Cardinal numbers are generally employed instead.
Other Important Points on Numbers
- Hundreds are: cien (100), doscientos (200), trescientos (300), cuatrocientos (400), quinientos (500), seiscientos (600), setecientos (700), ochocientos (800), novecientos (900).
- Thousands are formed by placing "mil" after the number, e.g. "dos mil" for 2000.
- Decimals are expressed with a comma in Spanish, not a dot like in English. For example, "2.5" in English is "2,5" in Spanish.
- Percentages work the same way in Spanish as they do in English. For example, "50 percent" is "cincuenta por ciento".
- When expressing large numbers, Spanish uses a period where English would normally use a comma. For example, "1.000" in Spanish is "1,000" in English. "1.000.000" in Spanish equals "1,000,000" in English.
- Do not forget to practice listening to and saying numbers out loud. This skill comes in handy when having to deal with telephone numbers, addresses, and prices.
