How to Learn Spanish Numbers Quickly

Does the Spanish language get on your nerves?

Do you want to make the most of your learning time?

Then join me to discover how to learn Spanish numbers quickly!

About Spanish numbers

Our whole life revolves around numbers. From our date of birth, ID, phone, street, address, and much more. It´s illogical not to learn as much as possible about Spanish numbers when we want to master this new language.

Curiously, the English number system is the same as the Spanish one. Although Spanish is a Romance language and English is a Germanic language, they share these characters. This is just because both languages are descended from Vulgar or spoken Latin.

Being the same numerical signs, of course, they differ in their names and pronunciations. In some cases, the differences are almost imperceptible since they are cognates or very similar words. However, this will be better appreciated later when we start counting in Spanish.

Why you should learn Spanish numbers

From the moment our parents teach us our first words, they almost simultaneously teach us to count. The importance of mastering numbers in our native language and in the foreign languages we learn is undeniable. That’s why I want to give you some new reasons why you should learn Spanish numbers.

• Make appointments.
• Scheduling talks and meetings.
• Learning dates in Spanish.
• Locate addresses.
• Share your phone number.
• Buying clothes, shoes, and accessories.
• Taking the bus or train.
• Going to the grocery store.
• Going out to eat at a Spanish restaurant.
• Tell your age or identification.
• Exercise your brain by memorizing numbers.

Top 3 easy ways to learn Spanish numbers

Knowing how to count Spanish numbers is necessary since elementary school. Along the way as a Spanish teacher, I have discovered the way to make it simple. Therefore, you can enjoy the top 3 easy ways to learn Spanish numbers.

1. Counting in Spanish

The first practical exercise for learning Spanish numbers is counting in Spanish. Sometimes we walk down the street counting things like vehicles, sidewalk stripes, birds, traffic lights, and so on. The ideal is to have fun while counting in Spanish.

For example, today I choose to go out and count the pine trees. As I walk, I see one pine tree, two pine trees, three pine trees, and I keep counting them in Spanish. You don’t need to count out loud if you are at level zero, you can do it when you feel more confident.

Count with me

• 0

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

• 6

• 7

• 8

• 9

• 10

• 11

• 12

• 13

• 14

• 15

• 16

• 17

• 18

• 19

• 20

Spanish usually changes the letter “z” at the end of the ten into “c”, when combined with another word. That´s why we see dieciséis (sixteen). This rule also applies between singulars and plurals like pez and peces (fish or fishes).

Other rules of the Spanish numbers are as follows

• Numbers from 21 to 29 are only one word. For Example, veintiuno instead of veinte y uno.
• From 31 onwards you put the ten and then the final unit. For example, treinta y uno (thirty-one).

2. Spanish ordinal numbers

In many everyday conversations, we use Spanish ordinal numbers. Any context is conducive to using them and it´s necessary to master at least the basics. For example, in addresses, rankings or categories, relating events, and more.

One detail you should not forget is that they have gender, ending in “o” for the masculine and “a” for the feminine. Although the gender is indicated at the end of the ordinal number, the gender article is also used, such as “el” for masculine and “la” for feminine.

Examples

Count with me

Curious facts

• Segunda

• Cuarto

The term is often used informally to refer to the sleeping room.

• Quinta

It alludes to a comfortable and large house located in a good urban area.

• Décima

A kind of poem consisting of 10 octosyllabic lines.

3. Knowing the dates

Knowing the dates is something so basic and essential for everyone, that it´s one of the first things we do. It´s a matter of placing ourselves in time and remaining aware. Some doctors even ask the patient what the date is after recovering from a concussion.

The structure of dates in English and Spanish is different. Spanish doesn´t use ordinal numbers or commas but it does use prepositions.

This can make Spanish dates seem longer. By the way, don’t forget that months are written in lower case and the year doesn´t use periods to separate units of thousands. Another detail is that the first day of the month is written in ordinal numbers.

Examples

If you want to add the day of the week, you only have to do this.

Curious facts

• In English, the year number is usually divided into two sections

1984

19/84

It reads

• In Spanish, the complete year number is read

1984

Small but big progress

Some of my students were worried about having to memorize so many Spanish numbers. Therefore, I found an effective method for each of them. We made small but big progress in the course.

The more active ones progress through videos and songs that were easy to memorize. While the quieter ones chose to spend hours writing and repeating the numbers. The amazing thing is that both groups were almost at the same pace and we could advance to the next level.

Then I understood that there are no slow or fast learners. However, people who have found the right learning method for themselves.

If you have felt stuck, you can implement study methods a little differently. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you spend an afternoon counting streetlights. The important thing is that you master Spanish numbers with ease.

Make the complex simple. Review and learn Spanish numbers!

Learn Spanish in Three Minutes – Numbers 1-10