Numbers from zero to twenty

Numbers from zero to ten

Learn the first set in two short groups: cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro; then cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez. Count objects around you instead of only reciting the sequence.

Try reading a phone number one digit at a time. Practicing numbers out of order helps you recognize them in a real conversation.

Numbers from eleven to twenty

Eleven through fifteen each have their own form: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince. Sixteen through nineteen begin with dieci-: dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve. Twenty is veinte.

Notice the written accent in dieciséis. When uno comes directly before a masculine singular noun, it becomes un: un libro. Before a feminine singular noun, use una: una mesa.

Prices and age

¿Cuánto cuesta? asks how much does it cost? A simple reply may be cuesta… followed by a number and the currency. Prices in these examples are practice examples, not current prices.

Spanish uses tener (to have), rather than ser or estar, for age. Tengo veinte años means I am twenty years old. ¿Cuántos años tienes? asks someone’s age informally.

Lesson vocabulary

Read each word aloud, then test your recall of its meaning.

Practice questions

Answer the questions and read the explanations. You can repeat the exercises.

Practice numbers out of order. For age, remember the whole phrase tengo… años.