Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers in Spanish

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Learning Basics in Spanish, Spanish – Beginner

Cardinal and Ordinal Numbers in Spanish

Learning numbers in Spanish is essential for communicating effectively, whether you’re discussing prices, telling the time, or talking about dates and rankings. This guide will help you understand cardinal numbers (used for counting) and ordinal numbers (used for order) in Spanish, including patterns up to a million.

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers are used to count objects or quantify amounts. Here’s how they are structured in Spanish:

Numbers 1–15: These numbers are unique and must be memorized.
- 1-10: uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
- 11-15: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince
Numbers 16–29: These numbers follow a combination pattern.
- 16–19: Formed by combining “diez” and the unit number, with slight spelling changes:
  - 16: dieciséis
  - 17: diecisiete
  - 18: dieciocho
  - 19: diecinueve
- 20–29: Use the prefix “veinti-” combined with the unit number:
  - 20: veinte
  - 21: veintiuno
  - 22: veintidós, etc.
Tens (30–90): These numbers use “y” (and) to join the tens and units.
- 30: treinta
- 31: treinta y uno
- 40: cuarenta
- 50: cincuenta
- 60: sesenta
- 70: setenta
- 80: ochenta
- 90: noventa
Hundreds (100–900): The word for hundred is “cien,” but it changes to “ciento” when followed by another number.
- 100: cien
- 101: ciento uno
- 200: doscientos
- 300: trescientos
- 400: cuatrocientos, etc.
Thousands and Beyond:
- 1,000: mil
- 2,000: dos mil
- 10,000: diez mil
- 100,000: cien mil
- 1,000,000: un millón (Note: “millón” is singular; plural is “millones.”)

Key Rule: Numbers in Spanish are written together as a single word, except when “y” is used between tens and units (e.g., “treinta y uno”).

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers indicate position or order. These are less commonly used than cardinal numbers but essential in formal contexts.

1st–10th:
- primero, segundo, tercero, cuarto, quinto, sexto, séptimo, octavo, noveno, décimo
Beyond 10th:
From 11th onward, most ordinal numbers are formed with the base word plus the suffix “-avo/a”:
- 11th: undécimo
- 12th: duodécimo
- 20th: vigésimo
- 100th: centésimo
Agreement with Gender and Number:
Ordinal numbers agree with the noun they modify in gender and number:
- Masculine: primer lugar (first place)
- Feminine: primera vez (first time)

Tips for Mastery

Practice listening to native speakers for correct pronunciation.
Use ordinal numbers in real-life scenarios, such as dates: el primero de mayo (May 1st).
Create flashcards to memorize both cardinal and ordinal numbers.

Mastering cardinal and ordinal numbers in Spanish will enhance your ability to express yourself fluently. Start practicing today, and you’ll soon count your progress ¡en español!

Do you have any questions about specific examples or need further clarification? Let me know!

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