Numbers Numbers in Spanish

Cardinal numbers are used to express quantity. They are essential in everyday communication for counting, indicating amounts, and providing specific information about the number of items.

Here are the cardinal numbers from 1 to 10 in Spanish:

• 1: uno
• 2: dos
• 3: tres
• 4: cuatro
• 5: cinco
• 6: seis
• 7: siete
• 8: ocho
• 9: nueve
• 10: diez

Here are the tens from 10 to 100:

• 10: diez
• 20: veinte
• 30: treinta
• 40: cuarenta
• 50: cincuenta
• 60: sesenta
• 70: setenta
• 80: ochenta
• 90: noventa
• 100: cien

For numbers beyond 100, the word ciento is used for counting:

• 101: ciento uno
• 102: ciento dos

Special numbers in Spanish include:

• 500: quinientos
• 700: setecientos
• 900: novecientos

Here is a table with some additional numbers:

Ordinal numbers indicate the position or order of something in a sequence. They are essential for expressing ranks, positions, and sequences in everyday communication.

Here is a table of ordinal numbers from first to tenth:

In sentences, ordinal numbers are typically placed before the noun they describe. They take on a gender (masculine or feminine) that agrees with the noun.

• Primero becomes primer before a masculine singular noun: El primer capítulo (The first chapter).
• Primera is used before a feminine singular noun: La primera vez (The first time).

Here are some more examples:

1. Segundo lugar: (Second place).
2. Tercera casa: (Third house).
3. Cuarto día: (Fourth day).
4. Quinta avenida: (Fifth avenue).
5. Sexto sentido: (Sixth sense).
6. Séptima maravilla: (Seventh wonder).
7. Octavo piso: (Eighth floor).
8. Noveno grado: (Ninth grade).
9. Décima vez: (Tenth time).

Ordinal numbers help clarify the sequence, making communication more precise.

Fractional numbers are numbers that represent a part of a whole. They are essential in both everyday life and in the structure of a language as they allow precise quantification and division of objects, quantities, or concepts.

In Spanish grammar, fractional numbers are used to denote parts of a whole, much like in English. They appear frequently in fractions, dates, and expressions of time, among other contexts. Fractional numbers can be simple like 'un medio' (one half) or more complex such as 'tres cuartos' (three quarters).

Examples of Fractional Numbers and Their Usage:

• un medio - Represents one half (1/2)
• un tercio - Represents one third (1/3)
• un cuarto - Represents one fourth (1/4)
• tres cuartos - Represents three quarters (3/4)
• dos tercios - Represents two thirds (2/3)

These numbers are often used in sentences to indicate division or portion:

• Compró un medio kilo de queso. - (He/She bought half a kilo of cheese.)
• La receta requiere un cuarto de taza de azúcar. - (The recipe requires a quarter of a cup of sugar.)
• Bebí tres cuartos de la botella. - (I drank three quarters of the bottle.)
• Leímos dos tercios del libro. - (We read two-thirds of the book.)

Forming compound numbers follows specific patterns. Understanding these rules is crucial for accurate communication.

Numbers from 21 to 29 are unique:

• 21 - veintiuno
• 22 - veintidós
• 23 - veintitrés
• 24 - veinticuatro
• 25 - veinticinco
• 26 - veintiséis
• 27 - veintisiete
• 28 - veintiocho
• 29 - veintinueve

The numbers 30+, compounds are created by combining the tens and units:

• 30+: treinta (30), treinta y uno (31), treinta y dos (32), ...
• 40+: cuarenta (40), cuarenta y uno (41), cuarenta y dos (42), ...
• 50+: cincuenta (50), cincuenta y uno (51), cincuenta y dos (52), ...
• 60+: sesenta (60), sesenta y uno (61), sesenta y dos (62), ...
• 70+: setenta (70), setenta y uno (71), setenta y dos (72), ...
• 80+: ochenta (80), ochenta y uno (81), ochenta y dos (82), ...
• 90+: noventa (90), noventa y uno (91), noventa y dos (92), ...

Examples in sentences:

• Veintidós niños juegan en el parque. (22 children play in the park.)
• Mi abuela tiene sesenta y cinco años. (My grandmother is 65 years old.)
• Hay cuarenta y tres estudiantes en la clase. (There are 43 students in the class.)
• El libro cuesta setenta y ocho pesos. (The book costs 78 pesos.)

Collective numbers in Spanish grammar, also known as números colectivos, refer to terms used to describe a collective or group quantity. These numbers denote a set or collection of things or people as a single unit. Understanding collective numbers is essential for describing groups in a more concise way.

Common Collective Numbers:

• Docena - A dozen (12 units).
• Centena - A hundred (100 units).
• Millar - A thousand (1,000 units).
• Decena - A decade (10 units).
• Quincena - A fortnight (15 days).

Examples in Appropriate Contexts:

• Docena: "Compré una docena de huevos." (I bought a dozen eggs.)
• Centena: "La biblioteca tiene más de una centena de libros raros." (The library has more than a hundred rare books.)
• Millar: "Hay un millar de estrellas visibles en el cielo esta noche." (There are a thousand visible stars in the sky tonight.)
• Decena: "El equipo ha ganado una decena de premios este año." (The team has won a dozen awards this year.)
• Quincena: "Tendré vacaciones durante la quincena del festival." (I will have holidays during the fortnight of the festival.)

When using numbers in dates, Spanish grammar has specific rules to follow:

1. Day comes before the month:
The standard order for dates is day/month/year. For example:
October 5, 2021 is written as 5/10/2021.

2. Ordinal Numbers:
Use ordinal numbers for the first day of the month:
October 1 is written as 1º de octubre (read as primero de octubre).

• For other days, use cardinal numbers:
  October 2 is written as 2 de octubre.
  October 15 is written as 15 de octubre.

3. Months:
Months are not capitalized in Spanish. For example:
November is written as noviembre.
July is written as julio.

4. Years:
Years are written in full. For example:
2021 is written as 2021 (dos mil veintiuno).

Therefore, we construct dates by first specifying the day, followed by the month, and finally, the year. The structure is:

• day + "de" + month + "de" + year

Here are more examples:

English Date	Spanish Date
April 25, 2020	25 de abril de 2020
July 4, 2019	4 de julio de 2019
December 31, 2022	31 de diciembre de 2022

Multiplicative numbers are used to express the idea of multiplicity or how many times something occurs or multiplies in Spanish grammar. They are less common than cardinal or ordinal numbers but are still necessary for certain contexts. Each multiplicative number corresponds to how many times an action or quantity is doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc.

Usage:

• They are often used in mathematical contexts, descriptions of sequences, and to emphasize repetition.
• Multiplicative numbers can behave as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns, depending on their position and usage in a sentence.

Common Multiplicative Numbers:

Understanding and using multiplicative numbers enriches one's proficiency and expressiveness in Spanish. They denote how many times an amount or action is multiplied and provide a more precise understanding of quantity and repetition.

When expressing numbers in terms of money, the order and usage of symbols differ from English. Follow these rules for proper usage:

Rules:

• Currency symbols are placed before the numeric amount.
• Periods are used to separate thousands, while commas indicate decimals.
• The conjunction “con” can be used to connect whole numbers and decimal values.

Examples:

Here are a few examples illustrating these rules with different currencies:

With these rules and examples, you should be able to accurately express monetary values in Spanish.

When using numbers in addresses in Spanish, specific grammar rules apply to ensure clarity and consistency. Addresses can contain numbers for street names, building numbers, floor numbers, and apartment numbers. Here are the points to consider:

• Street Numbers: Street numbers are placed before the street name and are typically written as cardinal numbers. For example: 123 Calle Mayor
• Building Numbers: Building numbers follow the street name and are also written as cardinal numbers. For example: Calle Mayor, 123
• Floor Numbers: When indicating the floor, the ordinal number is used, often followed by the abbreviations 'º' (masculine) or 'ª' (feminine). For example: 3º piso (third floor) or 2ª planta (second floor).
• Apartment Numbers: Apartment numbers are placed after the floor number and are usually written using cardinal numbers. For example: 3º piso, apartamento 5 or 2ª planta, puerta 3

Below is a table illustrating how to properly format addresses with numbers:

When using numbers in measurements, certain rules must be followed to ensure clarity and correctness. These rules apply to various types of measurements such as length, weight, volume, temperature, and more.

1. Agreement with Nouns: Numerals must agree with the nouns they modify in terms of gender and plurality. For example:

• una tonelada (one ton) - 'tonelada' is a feminine noun.
• dos litros (two liters) - 'litros' is a masculine plural noun.
• cinco metros (five meters) - 'metros' is a masculine plural noun.
• veintiuna libras (twenty-one pounds) - 'libras' is a feminine plural noun, and 'uno' becomes 'una' before a feminine noun.

2. Decimal Numbers: Decimal numbers should use a comma to separate the integer part from the fractional part. For example:

• 3,5 litros (3.5 liters)
• 2,75 metros (2.75 meters)

3. Use of Units: When expressing measurements, the unit of measurement usually follows the number without a space. However, in more formal and scientific contexts, a space might be used. For example:

• 15kg or 15 kg (15 kilograms)
• 100ml or 100 ml (100 milliliters)

4. Fractions: Fractions are often written in words and must agree with the noun they modify. For example:

• un medio litro (half a liter)
• tres cuartos de kilo (three-quarters of a kilogram)

It is also important to ensure that the numerals are clear and legible, which means using the correct punctuation and spacing as per the language's norms.