Numbers in Spanish
In Spanish we have two forms of numbers:
Cardinal numbers – 1 (one), 2 (two) etc. (they are used to count)
Ordinal numbers – 1st (first), 2nd (second) etc. (used to give sequence order)
Cardinal numbers
We use cardinals when you:
You count things:
- I have two brothers.
- January has thirty-one days.
You say your age:
- I am thirty three years old.
- My sister is twenty-seven years old.
You give your phone number to someone:
- My phone number is seven – eight – nine – zero – one – three – five. (7890135)
Talk about a specific year:
- She was born in nineteen seventy-five (1975).
- America was discovered in the year 1492 (1492).
Note that in Spanish, unlike in English, we do not divide the years, in other words the year is said in full. Example: One thousand nine hundred and eighty-two (1982); Two thousand nine (2009).
Also when we say the telephone numbers we have two options, first that is number by number (two – six – three- four – five – one – five; 2-6-3-4-5-1-5) or group them in the first three digits and then two numbers and the other two afterwards (two hundred sixty-three – forty-five – fifteen; 263 45 15)
Ordinal numbers
Ordinals are used to:
Give a date (only when it is the 1st of each month):
- My birthday is the first of January. (The first of January)
Put things in sequence:
- Chile is first in the World Cup qualifiers.
Say the floor where you live in a building:
- The office is on the 10th floor.
Versions or festivals:
- This is the fiftieth version of the Calameño melon festival in the city of Calama.
Cardinal numbers
- 1 one
- 2 – of the
- 3 three
- 4 – four
- 5 – five
- 6 – six
- 7 – seven
- 8 eight
- 9 nine
- 10 ten
- 11 – once
- 12 – sweet
- 13 – passes
- 14 – fourteen
- 15 – quince
- 16 – sixteen
- 17 – seventeen
- 18 – eighteen
- 19 – nineteen
- 20 Twenty
- 21 – twenty one
- 22 – twenty two
- 23 – twenty three
- 30 – thirty
- 40 – forty
- 50 fifty
- 60 – sixty
- 70 – seventy
- 80 – eighty
- 90 – ninety
- 100 – cen *
- 101 – one hundred and one
- 125 – one hundred and twenty five
- 200 – two hundred
- 300 – three hundred
- 400 – four hundred
- 500 – five hundred
- 600 – six hundred
- 700 – seven hundred
- 800 – eight hundred
- 900 – nine hundred
- 1000 thousand
- 1,000,000 – one million
- 10,000,000 – ten million
Video
Hundred vs. Hundred
A) We use cen when we refer to the exact number (100) or when we use it with nouns.
Price = 100
One hundred books
One hundred cars
One hundred houses
One hundred women
It does not matter if it is male or female.
B) We use hundred when we refer to numbers composed of one hundred plus other numbers (101, 102, etc.)
101 = One hundred and one
154 = one hundred fifty five
180 = one hundred and eighty
Remember that the separation with « and » of the numbers is done between the tens and the ones, not in the hundreds.
135 = one hundred and thirty five (incorrect)
135 = one hundred thirty-five (correct)
Long Numbers
With long numbers we generally divide them into groups of three into three separated with dots.
5000000 (5 million) is written 5,000,000
9,876,543 = nine million, eight hundred seventy-six thousand, five hundred forty-three.
*** We have a version of this image for teachers: Poster – The Numbers 0-100 ***
Ordinal numbers
- 1st – first
- 2nd – second
- 3rd – third
- 4th – fourth
- 5th – fifth
- 6th – 6th
- 7th – seventh
- 8th – eighth
- 9th – ninth
- 10th – tenth
- 11th – eleventh / eleventh
- 12th – twelfth / twelfth
- 13th – thirteenth
- 14th – fourteenth
- 15th – fifteenth
- 16th – 16th
- 17th – seventeenth
- 18th – 18th
- 19th – nineteenth
- 20th – twentieth
- 21st – twenty-first
- 22nd – twenty-second
- 23rd – twenty-third
- 30th – thirtieth
- 40th – fortieth
- 50th – fiftieth
- 60th – sixtieth
- 70th – seventieth
- 80º – octogésimo
- 90th – ninetieth
- 100th – hundredth
- 101st – hundredth first
- 200º – two hundred
- 300º – three hundredth
- 400 ° – four hundredth
- 500°- five hundred
- 600°- six hundred
- 700 ° – septingingésimo
- 800°- eight hundred
- 900º – Ninth hundredth
- 1000th – thousandth
- 1000000º – millionth
Fractions and Decimals
We use fractional and decimal numbers to talk about values divided into fractions.
- 1/2 – a half
- 1/3 – one third
- 2/3 – two thirds
- 1/4 – a quarter
- 3/4 – three quarters
- 1/5 – one fifth
- 2/5 – of the fifths
- 1/6 – one sixth
- 5/6 – five sixths
- 1/7 – one seventh
- 1/8 – one eighth
- 1/10 – one tenth
- 7/10 – seven tenths
- 1/20 – one twentieth
- 47/100 – forty-seven hundredths
- 1/100 – one hundredth
- 1/1,000 – one thousandth
If we have a fractional number we use « and« to do the separation of integers and fractions.
For example: 2 3/5 = 2 integers and three fifths.
If we express it as decimal numbers, we separate it with commas.
For example: 2 1/2 (two integers and a half) = 2.5 (two point five)
If there is a number with more than one digit after the decimal point, we say the number individually.
For example: 3,456,789 = three thousand four hundred fifty-six point seven hundred eighty-nine.
The exception to this rule is when we talk about dollars and cents united with the preposition with or with the conjunction and.
For example: $ 21.95 = twenty-one dollars with ninety-five cents or twenty-one dollars and ninety five cents
More recommended activities
Practice the numbers with our interactive games:
The Numbers 1-100 – The Numbers (larger) – Ordinal Numbers from 1 to 10 – Ordinal Numbers (larger).
Or see our notes in English about Numbers in Spanish
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