Spanish Numbers: Count to a Million (Easier Than You Think)
Spanish numbers follow logical patterns that make them much easier to learn than you might expect. Once you know the first 30 and a handful of rules, you can count to a million. This guide breaks it all down with pronunciation, patterns, and real-life examples.
Numbers 1–15: The Foundation
The first fifteen numbers in Spanish are unique words. You need to memorize these — everything else builds on them.
Numbers 16–29: The Compound Pattern
Numbers 16–19 merge "diez" (ten) with the ones digit into one word. Numbers 20–29 do the same with "veinte" (twenty).
From 16–29, the numbers are written as one word. Starting at 31, they become three words: "treinta y uno" (31), "cuarenta y dos" (42), etc.
Learn from Your Home Screen
Vocabito puts Spanish words on your Home Screen with pronunciation, example sentences, and audio — so you learn without even opening the app.
Tens: 30–100
Learn the tens and you can build any number up to 99 by adding "y" (and) plus the ones digit.
Examples: treinta y cinco (35), setenta y ocho (78), noventa y nueve (99).
Hundreds and Beyond
For 100, use cien when it stands alone or before a larger number (cien mil). Use ciento when followed by a smaller number (ciento uno = 101).
Never say "un mil." Just say "mil" for 1,000. But you do say "un millón" for 1,000,000.
Practice These Words in Vocabito
Flashcards, widgets, and daily reminders to make Spanish stick.
Practical Uses for Spanish Numbers
- Prices: "Cuesta veinte euros" (It costs twenty euros)
- Phone numbers: Typically read in pairs: 91-45-23 → "noventa y uno, cuarenta y cinco, veintitrés"
- Ages: "Tengo treinta y dos años" (I am 32 years old)
- Time: "Son las tres y cuarto" (It's 3:15)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you count to 10 in Spanish?
The numbers 1-10 in Spanish are: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez. These are the foundation for all Spanish numbers and must be memorized.
What is the pattern for Spanish numbers 16-19?
Numbers 16-19 in Spanish are compound words: dieciséis (16), diecisiete (17), dieciocho (18), diecinueve (19). They combine "diez" (ten) with the ones digit into a single word.
How do you say large numbers like 1000 in Spanish?
1,000 is mil in Spanish. Unlike English, you never say "one thousand" — just "mil." For example, 2,000 is "dos mil" and 1,000,000 is "un millón."
Do Spanish numbers change with gender?
Only the number "one" changes for gender: un libro (one book, masculine) vs una mesa (one table, feminine). Numbers from 200-999 also change: doscientos libros vs doscientas mesas.