| Language (Spanish/Portuguese) | English |
| Cero / Zero | Zero |
| Una / Um | One |
| Dos / Dois | Two |
| Tres / Três | Three |
| Cuatro / Quatro | Four |
| Cinco | Five |
| Seis | Six |
| Siete / Sete | Seven |
| Ocho / Oito | Eight |
| Nueve / Nove | Nine |
| Diez / Dez | Ten |
➤ uno (OO-no) – one
➤ dos (dos) – two
➤ tres (tres) – three
➤ cuatro (KWA-tro) – four
➤ cinco (SEEN-ko) – five
➤ seis (says) – six
➤ siete (SYE-te) – seven
➤ ocho (O-cho) – eight
➤ nueve (NWE-ve) – nine
➤ diez (dyes) – ten
Basic Usage Rules
➤ Agreement with Gender (uno)
When uno comes before a masculine noun, it usually becomes un:
➤ un libro (one book)
➤ una casa (one house)
Before feminine nouns you use una (because uno must agree with the gender):
➤ una mesa (one table)
➤ Compound Numbers Start at 11
Numbers 11–15 are unique words (e.g., once, doce, trece), and 16–19 are built as diez y seis → dieciséis (10 + 6), etc.
When to Use These Numbers
➤ Counting & Quantity
➤ Tengo tres manzanas. – I have three apples.
➤ Hay cinco sillas. – There are five chairs.
➤ Age
➤ Él tiene ocho años. – He is eight years old.
➤ Time (hours)
➤ Son las dos. – It’s two o’clock.
(Hours use plural; “Es la una” only for 1:00.)
➤ Phone Numbers
You read each digit individually:
➤ Teléfono: tres, cero, cinco, uno...
➤ Prices
➤ Cuesta seis euros. – It costs six euros.
Pronunciation Tips
➤ Dos, tres — final s is clear, not silent
➤ Seis — sounds like English “sace” with blended ei
➤ Nueve — starts with a light nw sound
➤ Practice rhythm: Spanish numbers are relatively even-stressed syllables
Common Mistakes to Avoid
➤ Mixing uno with un/una — Always match the noun’s gender.
➤ Incorrect pronunciation of seis/nueve — Listen to native speech, these can be tricky at first.
➤ Skipping the article with time — For hours, Spanish normally uses Es la (for one) and Son las (for others).
Mini Practice
Translate these:
➤ 7 chairs → siete sillas
➤ two cats → dos gatos
➤ I have ten books → Tengo diez libros
0 Comments