Learn To Speak Spanish – Spanish Numbers and Counting

Speak and write the numbers in Spanish

One of the easiest ways of learning some Spanish quickly is to learn the numbers, and you will need these for almost every situation, so it is best to learn them as soon as you start to learn Spanish.

Luckily, learning the numbers and how to count in Spanish is pretty straightforward and simple – Spanish language rules mean that words are pronounced as they are written, with no silent letters or odd pronunciations like in English, and once you master the few rules, you can read and pronounce any Spanish word with ease.

To learn the numbers you will need to master the numbers 1 to 10, then 11 – 20 which is slightly simpler, and after that, numbers are easy to learn, as, like in English, only the multiple of ten changes and the units remain the same, and even the tens are straightforward.

So, to start counting in Spanish:

0 --- cero

1 --- uno

2 --- dos

3 --- tres

4 --- cuatro

5 --- cinco

6 --- seis

7 --- siete

8 --- ocho

9 --- nueve

10 --- diez

Note that regarding pronunciation, ci- ce- or z is pronounced like the 'th' sound in the word bath, for example. So 5 (cinco) is pronounced 'think-oh' and 10 (diez) is pronounced 'dee-eth'. In some Spanish-speaking countries, they pronounce these sounds like 's' instead (sink-oh or dee-ess).

11 --- once

12 --- doce

13 --- trece

14 --- catorce

15 --- quince

Then the next four numbers build on from diez (ten):

16 --- dieciseis

17 --- diecisiete

18 --- dieciocho

19 --- diecinueve

Some English speakers have difficulty prnouncing these words at first, but this is solely due to the unusual structure of the words and combinations of letters, meaning they have many syllables. Dieciseis is pronounced 'dee-eth-ee-seys'.

You should practice these over and over again repeatedly until you have mastered them and committed them to memory. Test yourself by using flashcards or reading phone numbers using Spanish numbers or address. When you're in the car, look at the number plate in front and say the numbers out loud, using the Spanish forms.

Next, we will learn the rest of the numbers up to one hundred, which is easier than it sounds.

20 --- veinte

30 --- treinta

40 --- cuarenta

50 --- cincuenta

60 --- sesenta

70 --- setenta

80 --- ochenta

90 --- noventa

100 --- ciento

All of the numbers in between follow the same pattern as the single figure numbers learnt earlier, so 25 is veinticinco, and 36 is treinta seis, and 87 is ochenta siete.

Congratulations! Now you can count to one hundred in Spanish. It was pretty easy after all.

Practice your new knowledge of Spanish numbers everywhere you go. One thing you could do is think in Spanish every time you buy something in a shop, and are given change, etc, and it qill very quickly become natural.

After one hundred (ciento), counting is still straightforward, and numbers are just counted using the earlier methods, but with the hundreds inserted beforehand. There one minor alteration, with the 500 value.

100 --- ciento

200 --- doscientos

300 --- trescientos

400 --- cuatrocientos

500 --- quinientos

600 --- seiscientos

700 --- setecientos

800 --- ochocientos

900 --- novecientos

And now you can almost count to one thousand.

1,000 --- mil

There is the Spanish translation of one thousand.

1,000,000 --- un millón

Please see my other hubpages on learning Spanish vocabulary and grammar easily and quickly.

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Comments 2 comments

platinumOwl4 profile image

platinumOwl4 5 years ago

Please continue with the lessons. In my limited knowledge of Spanish I always confuse 6 and 7. This example is wonderful. Don't stop.

Best wishes

jt walters 5 years ago

Good Article.


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