🔢 Learning to Count in Spanish

🌟 Introduction

Numbers are one of the first things you need to master in Spanish. From introducing your age, telling the time, shopping, to giving your phone number—numbers are everywhere!

In this lesson, we will start with the basics: numbers 1–10, then move on to 11–20, and finally learn how to count up to 100. You will also see patterns, pronunciation tips, and plenty of practice activities.

🔢 Los números del 1 al 10

Let’s start with the first ten numbers in Spanish. Learn them well — they are the foundation for all other numbers.

• 1 → uno → one
• 2 → dos → two
• 3 → tres → three
• 4 → cuatro → four
• 5 → cinco → five
• 6 → seis → six
• 7 → siete → seven
• 8 → ocho → eight
• 9 → nueve → nine
• 10 → diez → ten

📝 Examples in Context

1. Tengo un hermano. → I have one brother.
2. Hay dos libros en la mesa. → There are two books on the table.
3. Veo tres pájaros en el árbol. → I see three birds in the tree.
4. Necesito cuatro sillas. → I need four chairs.
5. Compré cinco manzanas. → I bought five apples.
6. El examen tiene seis preguntas. → The exam has six questions.
7. Hoy es el siete de marzo. → Today is the seventh of March.
8. El niño tiene ocho años. → The boy is eight years old.
9. Hay nueve estudiantes en la clase. → There are nine students in the class.
10. Son las diez en punto. → It is ten o’clock.

👉 Notice: In Spanish, numbers from 1 to 10 are simple words that you will use every day. Practice saying them aloud to improve your pronunciation!

🔟 Los números del 11 al 20

Now let’s continue with the numbers from 11 to 20. Pay attention to the special forms (11–15) and the pattern from 16–19 using diez + number.

• 11 → once → eleven
• 12 → doce → twelve
• 13 → trece → thirteen
• 14 → catorce → fourteen
• 15 → quince → fifteen
• 16 → dieciséis → sixteen
• 17 → diecisiete → seventeen
• 18 → dieciocho → eighteen
• 19 → diecinueve → nineteen
• 20 → veinte → twenty

📝 Examples in Context

1. Tengo once años. → I am eleven years old.
2. Hay doce estudiantes en la clase. → There are twelve students in the class.
3. El reloj marca las trece horas (1 p.m.). → The clock shows thirteen hours (1 p.m.).
4. La película empieza a las catorce horas (2 p.m.). → The movie starts at fourteen hours (2 p.m.).
5. Hoy es el día quince del mes. → Today is the fifteenth of the month.
6. Mi primo tiene dieciséis años. → My cousin is sixteen years old.
7. Hay diecisiete mesas en el restaurante. → There are seventeen tables in the restaurant.
8. El autobús llega a las dieciocho horas (6 p.m.). → The bus arrives at eighteen hours (6 p.m.).
9. Vi diecinueve pájaros en el parque. → I saw nineteen birds in the park.
10. Hay veinte preguntas en el examen. → There are twenty questions on the test.

👉 Notice: From 16 to 19, Spanish combines diez with the next number (ex: diecisiete = diez + siete). Number 20 is a unique word: veinte.

💯 Los números hasta 100

After 20, numbers in Spanish follow regular patterns. Learn the special forms from 21–29, then the tens (30, 40, …, 100).

🔹 21–29 (veinti- forms)

• 21 → veintiuno → twenty-one
• 22 → veintidós → twenty-two
• 23 → veintitrés → twenty-three
• 24 → veinticuatro → twenty-four
• 25 → veinticinco → twenty-five
• 26 → veintiséis → twenty-six
• 27 → veintisiete → twenty-seven
• 28 → veintiocho → twenty-eight
• 29 → veintinueve → twenty-nine

🔹 Tens (30–100)

• 30 → treinta → thirty
• 40 → cuarenta → forty
• 50 → cincuenta → fifty
• 60 → sesenta → sixty
• 70 → setenta → seventy
• 80 → ochenta → eighty
• 90 → noventa → ninety
• 100 → cien → one hundred

👉 To form numbers between the tens, simply add “y + number” (and + unit). Example: treinta y uno = thirty-one.

📝 Examples in Context

1. Tengo veintiún años. → I am twenty-one years old.
2. Compré veintidós flores. → I bought twenty-two flowers.
3. La clase empieza a las veintitrés horas (11 p.m.). → The class starts at twenty-three hours (11 p.m.).
4. Hay treinta estudiantes en el grupo. → There are thirty students in the group.
5. El hotel tiene cuarenta habitaciones. → The hotel has forty rooms.
6. El billete cuesta cincuenta euros. → The ticket costs fifty euros.
7. Mi abuela tiene sesenta años. → My grandmother is sixty years old.
8. El museo abre a las setenta horas (7 a.m. military time). → The museum opens at seven in the morning.
9. Hay ochenta páginas en el libro. → There are eighty pages in the book.
10. El examen tiene cien preguntas. → The exam has one hundred questions.

🔑 Key tip: Remember that after 30, numbers are written separately with y. Example: treinta y cinco (35) = thirty-five.

🧩 Patterns & Rules

Numbers in Spanish become easier once you learn the basic patterns. Let’s review the main rules you need to know.

🔹 Rule 1: 16–19 = diez + number

From sixteen to nineteen, Spanish combines diez (ten) with the next number.

• dieciséis = diez + seis → sixteen
• diecisiete = diez + siete → seventeen
• dieciocho = diez + ocho → eighteen
• diecinueve = diez + nueve → nineteen

Example: Tengo dieciocho años. → I am eighteen years old.

🔹 Rule 2: 21–29 = veinte + number

Numbers from 21 to 29 use the prefix veinti- plus the unit.

• veintiuno = 21
• veintidós = 22
• veintitrés = 23
• veinticuatro = 24

Example: Hay veintidós estudiantes. → There are twenty-two students.

🔹 Rule 3: After 30 → tens + y + unit

From 31 onwards, use the ten + y (and) + unit. Example: treinta y uno = thirty-one.

• treinta y dos = 32
• cuarenta y cinco = 45
• sesenta y nueve = 69

Example: Son las cuarenta y cinco minutos. → It is forty-five minutes.

🔹 Rule 4: Round tens

The tens (30, 40, 50, etc.) are unique words you must memorize: treinta, cuarenta, cincuenta, sesenta, setenta, ochenta, noventa.

Example: El libro cuesta cincuenta euros. → The book costs fifty euros.

🔹 Rule 5: 100 = cien / ciento

The number 100 has two forms: cien (when it is alone) and ciento (when followed by another number).

• cien = 100
• ciento uno = 101
• ciento diez = 110

Example: Tengo cien amigos en Facebook. → I have one hundred friends on Facebook.

👉 Once you understand these rules, building numbers in Spanish becomes simple and predictable!

🎤 Pronunciation Tips

Correct pronunciation is very important when learning numbers in Spanish. Some sounds may be new or confusing for English speakers. Let’s look at the most common challenges.

🔹 "Cinco" (5)

The c before i or e is pronounced like the English s in Latin America, or like the English th in Spain.

• cinco → /ˈsiŋ-ko/ (Latin America) → five
• cinco → /ˈθiŋ-ko/ (Spain) → five

Example: Tengo cinco perros. → I have five dogs.

🔹 "Seis" (6)

The diphthong ei is pronounced like the English sound in “say”, but shorter and sharper.

• seis → /seɪs/ → six

Example: Hay seis ventanas en la casa. → There are six windows in the house.

🔹 "Ocho" (8)

The ch in Spanish is always pronounced like “ch” in “chocolate” (never like “sh”).

• ocho → /ˈo-cho/ → eight

Example: El niño tiene ocho años. → The boy is eight years old.

🔹 "Veinte" (20)

The letter v in Spanish is pronounced almost like b. The diphthong ei is the same as in seis.

• veinte → /ˈbein-te/ → twenty

Example: Tengo veinte años. → I am twenty years old.

🔹 General Tips

• 📢 Always pronounce vowels clearly (a, e, i, o, u are pure sounds).
• ⏱️ Stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable (e.g., ocho, treinta).
• 🗣️ Practice saying numbers aloud in sequence to develop rhythm and fluency.

🎯 Practice

Let’s practice what you have learned! Try to answer the questions before checking the answers. Use the numbers from 1 to 100.

❓ Question 1

How do you say 7 in Spanish?

❓ Question 2

Translate into Spanish: twelve students.

❓ Question 3

How do you say 15 in Spanish? (Hint: it’s irregular)

❓ Question 4

Translate into Spanish: twenty books.

❓ Question 5

What is 34 in Spanish?

❓ Question 6

Translate into Spanish: I have forty-five apples.

❓ Question 7

How do you say 99 in Spanish?

❓ Question 8

Translate into Spanish: There are eighty people in the room.

❓ Question 9

What is 100 in Spanish?

❓ Question 10

Translate into Spanish: I am twenty-one years old.

✅ Summary

Let’s review the most important numbers from 1 to 100. Use this table as a quick reference guide.

👉 Tip: To form numbers between the tens, just add “y” + the unit. Example: treinta y dos = thirty-two.