Los Números

Los

NÚMEROS

en Español

CARDINAL NUMBERS

Uno

Seis

Dos

Siete

Ocho

Tres

Cero

Nueve

Cuatro

10

Diez

Cinco

Every set of 10 numbers are what we call the “decades”. Remember these numbers very well, because later they will help you to form and combine the larger numbers.

There is no hack on how to learn the Spanish numbers between 11 and 15 easily. You just have to sit down and memorize them by heart, because unlike the rest of the numbers in the system, these are not based on the single-digit numbers you’ve learned until now iOjo! The Spanish numbers between 11 and 15 all end with the suffix -ce

The Spanish numbers from sixteen to nineteen simply combine “dieci” with the single-digit numbers. This looks as follows:

The number 16 has an accent!

You may have noticed that there’s a system behind the numbers by now. Just like before, take the decade and add the single-digit number. But there is one thing you need to remember – Spanish numbers until 29 are written in one word, without any spaces! iOjo! Vowel change! “Veinte” turns into “veinti” after 20.

The numbers 22, 23, 26 have accents!

Notice that all the numbers bigger than 30 are written as three separate words divided by “y”! From now on we will follow this simple, consistent system with the following formula:

decade + y + single digit number

treinta y nueve

Last Step: the BIG Spanish Numbers

To build the hundreds, we simply extend our formula:

Hundred + decade + y + single digit number

ciento treinta y nueve

You might see that both, “cien” and “ciento” mean “one hundred” … same same but different?! If both have the same meaning, why are there two different words for the same number and what’s the difference between the two? To put it in a nutshell, “cien” is only used to refer to the actual number 100, nothing else! In all other cases and every Spanish number between 101 and 199, “ciento” is used.

For Spanish numbers above 199, simply put the single-digit number before “ciento“ and add “s” to the end. Then proceed with the same principle as before.

iOjo! Note the change of spelling in the case of 500, 700 and 900:

Cincocientos - quinientos sietecientos - setecientos nuevecientos - novecientos

The big numbers in Spanish are long! But the system of how they are formed is exactly the same one we have been using until now.

To help you understand the whole thing a little bit better, you can see our formula for the big, big numbers here:

(single digit number/decade/hundreds) + mil + hundreds + decade + y + single digit number

The formula looks long, but you just have to keep on doing what you have done so far.

Let’s try to build the number 3.468 in Spanish.

This number consists of thousands, hundreds, tens and single-digits: 3000 – 400 – 60 – 8 And that’s exactly what you say:

Tres mil cuatrocientos sesenta y ocho

Next, try build the number 12.777 in Spanish

12 x 1000 – 700 – 70 – 7

Doce mil setecientos setenta y siete

And we add another digit:

482.796 482 x 1000 – 700 – 90 – 6

Cuatrocientos ochenta y dos mil setecientos noventa y seis

iOjo! “Mil” does not adapt to gender or number. No matter which word you put it in front of, it always remains unchanged. The plural of “millón” is “millones”

Team

Stefanne

B.A in English Diploma Course Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language

Jonathan

B.A in English Diploma Course Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language

Lizeth

B.A in English Diploma Course Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language

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