Spanish Numbers 1-100: Complete Beginner's Guide with Pronunciation

Spanish Numbers 1-100: Complete Beginner's Guide

Numbers are essential in any language. You need them for prices, times, dates, phone numbers, and ages. This guide teaches you Spanish numbers 1-100 with pronunciation and practice exercises.

Numbers 1-10

These are the foundation. Master them first.

Numbers 11-20

Tens: 20-100

Once you learn the tens, you can form any number up to 100.

How to Form Numbers 21-99

Numbers 21-29 use "veintiuno," "veintidós," etc. Numbers 31-99 use "y" (and) between the tens and ones.

Examples:

• 21 = veintiuno (twenty-one)
• 25 = veinticinco (twenty-five)
• 31 = treinta y uno (thirty and one)
• 42 = cuarenta y dos (forty and two)
• 56 = cincuenta y seis (fifty and six)
• 78 = setenta y ocho (seventy and eight)
• 99 = noventa y nueve (ninety and nine)

Practice Exercise 1: Counting

Count from 1 to 20 out loud. Repeat 5 times daily until you can do it without looking.

Then count from 1 to 100 by tens: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.

Practice Exercise 2: Random Numbers

Say these numbers out loud in Spanish:

• 7, 15, 23, 41, 58, 76, 89, 100
• 12, 34, 56, 78, 91, 45, 67, 88
• 3, 19, 32, 47, 63, 82, 94, 50

Practice Exercise 3: Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Prices

• "Este libro cuesta 25 dólares." (This book costs 25 dollars.)
• "El café cuesta 3 euros." (The coffee costs 3 euros.)
• "La entrada cuesta 45 pesos." (The ticket costs 45 pesos.)

Scenario 2: Ages

• "Tengo 28 años." (I am 28 years old.)
• "Mi hermano tiene 15 años." (My brother is 15 years old.)
• "Mi abuela tiene 82 años." (My grandmother is 82 years old.)

Scenario 3: Phone Numbers

• "Mi número es 555-1234." (My number is 555-1234.)
• "¿Cuál es tu número?" (What's your number?)

Scenario 4: Times

• "Son las 3 de la tarde." (It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon.)
• "La reunión es a las 10 de la mañana." (The meeting is at 10 in the morning.)

Pronunciation Tips

1. Numbers 1-10 are irregular. They don't follow a pattern, so memorize them.

2. Numbers 11-15 are also irregular. Once, doce, trece, catorce, quince don't follow a pattern.

3. Numbers 16-19 follow a pattern. They're "diez + y + number" (dieciséis, diecisiete, etc.)

4. Tens (20, 30, 40, etc.) have their own names. Learn them separately.

5. Numbers 21-29 are special. Use "veintiuno," "veintidós," etc. (not "veinte y uno").

6. Numbers 31-99 use "y" (and). "Treinta y uno," "cuarenta y dos," etc.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Saying "veinte y uno" instead of "veintiuno." Use "veintiuno" for 21-29.

Mistake 2: Forgetting the "y" in 31-99. Always use "y" between tens and ones (treinta y uno, not "treinta uno").

Mistake 3: Mispronouncing "cinco" as "sinko." It's "SEEN-koh."

Mistake 4: Saying "ciento" instead of "cien" for 100. Use "cien" for exactly 100.

Related Resources

For more vocabulary and context, see our essential Spanish words guide and complete beginner roadmap.

The Bottom Line

Spanish numbers follow predictable patterns once you learn the foundation (1-10, 11-15, and the tens). Practice daily, use them in real scenarios (prices, ages, phone numbers), and they'll become automatic. Numbers are essential for any conversation, so master them early.