Spanish Numerals157

Spanish numerals are used to express numbers in the Spanish language. They are similar to English numerals, but there are some important differences. For example, Spanish numerals are gendered, and they must agree with the nouns they modify. Additionally, Spanish numerals are often used in conjunction with the definite article, and the placement of the article can change the meaning of the numeral.

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers are used to count objects. The most common cardinal numbers are:


Number
Spanish




0
cero


1
uno


2
dos


3
tres


4
cuatro


5
cinco


6
seis


7
siete


8
ocho


9
nueve


10
diez


11
once


12
doce


13
trece


14
catorce


15
quince


16
dieciséis


17
diecisiete


18
dieciocho


19
diecinueve


20
veinte


30
treinta


40
cuarenta


50
cincuenta


60
sesenta


70
setenta


80
ochenta


90
noventa


100
cien


1000
mil


1,000,000
un millón

Spanish cardinal numbers are gendered. For example, the number "uno" is masculine, and the number "una" is feminine. When a Spanish cardinal number is used to modify a noun, the number must agree with the noun in gender and number.

For example, the following sentence is correct:

Tengo un libro.

(I have one book.)

In this sentence, the number "uno" agrees with the noun "libro" in both gender and number.

However, the following sentence is incorrect:

*Tengo una libro.

(I have one book.)

In this sentence, the number "una" does not agree with the noun "libro" in gender. The correct sentence should be "Tengo un libro."

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the position of something in a series. The most common ordinal numbers are:


Number
Spanish




1st
primero


2nd
segundo


3rd
tercero


4th
cuarto


5th
quinto


6th
sexto


7th
séptimo


8th
octavo


9th
noveno


10th
décimo


11th
undécimo


12th
duodécimo


13th
decimotercero


14th
decimocuarto


15th
decimoquinto


16th
decimosexto


17th
decimoséptimo


18th
decimoctavo


19th
decimonoveno


20th
vigésimo


30th
trigésimo


40th
cuadragésimo


50th
quincuagésimo


60th
sexagésimo


70th
septuagésimo


80th
octogésimo


90th
nonagésimo


100th
centésimo


1000th
milésimo


1,000,000th
millonésimo

Spanish ordinal numbers are also gendered. For example, the number "primero" is masculine, and the number "primera" is feminine. When a Spanish ordinal number is used to modify a noun, the number must agree with the noun in gender and number.

For example, the following sentence is correct:

Soy el primer estudiante en la clase.

(I am the first student in the class.)

In this sentence, the number "primero" agrees with the noun "estudiante" in both gender and number.

However, the following sentence is incorrect:

*Soy la primer estudiante en la clase.

(I am the first student in the class.)

In this sentence, the number "primer" does not agree with the noun "estudiante" in gender. The correct sentence should be "Soy el primer estudiante en la clase."

Definite Article with Spanish Numerals

The definite article is often used with Spanish numerals. The placement of the definite article can change the meaning of the numeral.

When the definite article is placed before a Spanish numeral, it indicates that the numeral is referring to a specific quantity. For example, the following sentence means "I have one book":

Tengo un libro.

However, when the definite article is placed after a Spanish numeral, it indicates that the numeral is referring to a general quantity. For example, the following sentence means "I have a book":

Tengo libro uno.

The placement of the definite article can also change the meaning of ordinal numbers. When the definite article is placed before an ordinal number, it indicates that the ordinal number is referring to a specific position. For example, the following sentence means "I am the first student in the class":

Soy el primer estudiante en la clase.

However, when the definite article is placed after an ordinal number, it indicates that the ordinal number is referring to a general position. For example, the following sentence means "I am a first student in the class":

Soy primer estudiante en la clase.

Using Spanish Numerals

Spanish numerals are used in a variety of contexts. They can be used to count objects, to indicate the position of something in a series, to tell time, and to express dates. Here are some examples of how Spanish numerals are used:
Tengo dos hermanos.

(I have two brothers.)El primer día de clase es el lunes.

(The first day of class is Monday.)Son las tres y media.

(It is three thirty.)Mi cumpleaños es el diez de mayo.

(My birthday is May 10th.)

By understanding the rules for using Spanish numerals, you can communicate effectively in Spanish.

2024-12-07

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