Numbers in Spanish: Count 0 to 1 Billion (and Beyond)

I’m just going to cut to the chase. Numbers in Spanish are crucial to getting by in daily conversations. 

But don’t take my word for it. Here are some basic situations where you need to use numbers:

  • Counting objects
  • Talking about money, paying and asking for your change
  • Writing or saying dates
  • Telling time
  • Doing simple calculations
  • Measuring things

Whether you’re a serious learner or just learning Spanish for traveling, numbers are a key topic you cannot ignore. So, in this guide, you’ll learn how to count and use numbers in Spanish. 

Here’s an overview of what we’ll cover:

Good news: Spanish numbers follow a super easy pattern 🙂 So once you’ve learned it, you’ll be able to say or count to virtually any number you want. Let’s get to it!

graphic showing numbers in Spanish

Cardinal Numbers in Spanish

Spanish cardinal numbers are used to count. They’re by far the most common type of numbers we use. 

Tip: Below is the most important set of numbers to learn. Once you learn these numbers and understand their rules, larger numbers will be easy! Don’t forget to check each recording so you learn how to pronounce Spanish numbers correctly. 

Numbers in Spanish: 0-29

NumberSpelling
0Cero
1Uno
2Dos
3Tres
4Cuatro
5Cinco
6Seis
7Siete
8Ocho
9Nueve
10Diez
11Once
12Doce
13Trece
14Catorce
15Quince
16Dieciséis
17Diecisiete
18Dieciocho
19Diecinueve
20Veinte
21Veintiuno
22Veintidós
23Veintitrés
24Veinticuatro
25Veinticinco
26Veintiséis
27Veintisiete
28Veintiocho
29Veintinueve

Take Note: If the number veintiuno is followed by a noun in Spanish, you would have to use its short form veintiún.

Hay veintiún niños en mi clase.
There are twenty-one kids in my class.

Karen tiene veintiún años.
Karen is twenty-one years old.

Numbers in tens: 30-100

NumberSpelling
30Treinta
40Cuarenta
50Cincuenta
60Sesenta
70Setenta
80Ochenta
90Noventa
100Cien

Listen to the recording to see how to pronounce the multiple of tens (30-100) in Spanish.

The way to count from 31 to 99 is very simple and follows the same pattern. You say the multiple of ten (e.g. 30, 40, 50, etc.) with the letter y to separate tens from single digits (numbers 1-9).

Use the formula below to form numbers from 31-99. 

[Multiple of ten] + y + [number from one to nine]

Let’s see this formula in action with 31-39:

  • 31 = Treinta y uno
  • 32 = Treinta y dos
  • 33 = Treinta y tres
  • 34 = Treinta y cuatro
  • 35 = Treinta y cinco
  • 36 = Treinta y seis 
  • 37 = Treinta y siete
  • 38 = Treinta y ocho
  • 39 = Treinta y nueve

Here are a few more examples of this pattern:

  • 41 = Cuarenta y uno
  • 55 = Cincuenta y cinco
  • 99 = Noventa y nueve
  • 63 = Sesenta y tres 

…and so on. 

Numbers in hundreds: 100-1000

NumberSpelling
100Cien
200Doscientos
300Trescientos
400Cuatrocientos
500Quinientos
600Seiscientos
700Setecientos
800Ochocientos
900Novecientos
1000Mil

Notes:

  • ‘Cien’ is only used for 100.
  • ‘Ciento’ is for numbers from 101 to 199.

Rinse and repeat: use the spelling rules for numbers 1 to 99 to form more complex numbers. 

  • 116 = Ciento dieciséis
  • 252 = Doscientos cincuenta y dos
  • 325 = Trescientos veinticinco 
  • 419 = Cuatrocientos diecinueve 
  • 574 = Quinientos setenta y cuatro

Thousands in Spanish

The formula to write thousands in Spanish is:

[Base number name] + mil + (hundreds) + (tens) + y + (single units)

  • 2,000 = Dos mil
  • 3,000 = Tres mil
  • 5,000 = Cinco mil
  • 10,000 = Diez mil
  • 50,000 = Cincuenta mil
  • 300,000 = Trescientos mil
  • 500,000 = Quinientos mil
  • 430,210 = Cuatrocientos treinta mil doscientos diez
  • 722,542 = Setecientos veintidós mil quinientos cuarenta y dos.  

You get the idea. 

How to Say Big Numbers

Now that you’ve learned the fundamentals of counting (saying and writing) numbers in Spanish, the same rules and patterns apply to large numbers.

NumberSpelling
1,000,000Un millón
5,000,000Cinco millones
10,000,000Diez millones
500,000,000Quinientos millones
3,000,000,000Tres mil millones
5,000,000,000Cinco mil millones
3,000,000,000,000Tres billones
5,000,000,000,000Cinco billones

Take Note: It can be confusing for people learning Spanish, but ‘un billón’ is actually one trillion in English and ‘mil millones’ is one billion (one thousand million).

[Base number] + millón / billones + (thousands) + (hundreds) + (tens) + y + (single units)

Here are some examples:

  • 1,252,152 = un millón doscientos cincuenta y dos mil ciento cincuenta y dos.
  • 4,470,219 = cuatro millones cuatrocientos setenta mil doscientos diecinueve. 
  • 10,921,149 = diez millones novecientos veintiún mil ciento cuarenta y nueve. 
  • 7,234,479,291 = siete mil doscientos treinta y cuatro millones cuatrocientos setenta y nueve mil doscientos noventa y uno.

Ordinal Numbers in Spanish

Spanish ordinal numbers express the order or sequence in a list of objects. Ordinal numbers in Spanish are:

NumberSpellingTranslation
PrimeroFirst
SegundoSecond
TerceroThird
CuartoFourth
QuintoFifth
SextoSixth
SéptimoSeventh
OctavoEighth
NovenoNinth
10°DécimoTenth

Notes: 

  • Ordinal numbers in Spanish indicate gender.
  • Primero becomes primer if it’s immediately followed by a masculine noun (e.g. “primer grado”).
  • Spanish ordinal numbers are followed by an ordinal symbol (°).
  • 1° to 10° are the most common ordinal numbers in Spanish.

Take Note: It’s very rare that we use ordinal numbers above 10 in Spanish, whereas it’s far more common in English. For example, when it comes to dates, we say 31 de octubre (non-ordinal) while in English you say 31st of October.

Practice

Are you ready to practice what you learned? Take this Spanish numbers quiz

Numbers Basics: Common FAQs

Below are some common questions related to Spanish numbers that most learners have. 

How to say phone numbers in Spanish?

The way to say phone numbers in Spanish depends on how many digits you divide your phone number into (which often depends on the culture or country). Spanish speakers tend to divide their phone numbers into three or two digits. For example:

  • 723-521-891 = setecientos veintitrés quinientos veintiuno ochocientos noventa y uno.
  • 72-35-21-8-91= setenta y dos treinta y cinco veintiuno ocho noventa y uno.

Since both options are correct, you can choose whichever makes you feel more comfortable. Depending on which format you choose, you’ll either say the phone number in terms of hundreds or tens.

What does ‘y’ mean in Spanish numbers?

When it comes to numbers in Spanish, the letter ‘y’ means ‘and’. It is a close equivalent of the English hyphen. The purpose of this letter is to separate tens from units or single digits.  

Tengo cuarenta y dos sillas.
I have fortytwo chairs.

Es la una treinta y cinco.
It’s one thirtyfive.

‘Y’ is only used with tens from 30 to 90. 

Do numbers in Spanish agree with gender?

Numbers can work as adjectives in Spanish. In such cases, some of them must indicate the gender of the noun they are qualifying. Numbers in Spanish that agree in gender and number with nouns are: 

  • Uno
  • Hundreds from 200 to 900

Check these examples:

Tengo una galleta.
I have one cookie.

Cuesta un peso.
It costs one peso.

Hay doscientas personas.
There are two hundred people.

En el refugio hay trescientos cincuenta perros.
There are three hundred fifty dogs in the shelter.

Take Note: When followed by a singular masculine noun, uno becomes ‘un’. 

Do you capitalize numbers in Spanish?

Numbers in Spanish are written in lowercase letters. They are only capitalized if they are used to start a sentence.

Daniela Sanchez

¡Hola! Soy Daniela Sanchez, I've been studying Spanish professionally as well as teaching it in Mexico and online for over 10 years. I’ve taught Spanish to a wide array of foreigners from many backgrounds. Over the years, I've made it my mission to work hard on refining many challenging to understand grammar topics to make my students' learning experiences easier, faster and more enjoyable. Read More About Me

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