Spanish numbers 0–30 are written as single words, while numbers 31–99 use the conjunction “y” to separate the tens and units.
Learning to count is one of the first steps in mastering a new language. You likely already know “uno, dos, tres,” but accuracy counts when writing them down. Spanish numbers follow strict spelling rules that change as you move from the twenties to the thirties. This guide breaks down every digit so you can write dates, prices, and ages with confidence.
The Foundation: Numbers 0 to 15
The first fifteen numbers are unique. You cannot apply a simple formula to generate them. You must memorize these rote spelling forms because they serve as the building blocks for larger figures later on.
Pay attention to the spelling of “cinco” (5) and “quince” (15). Beginners often mix these up due to similar sounds, but they look quite different on paper.
- 0 — Cero
- 1 — Uno
- 2 — Dos
- 3 — Tres
- 4 — Cuatro
- 5 — Cinco
- 6 — Seis
- 7 — Siete
- 8 — Ocho
- 9 — Nueve
- 10 — Diez
- 11 — Once
- 12 — Doce
- 13 — Trece
- 14 — Catorce
- 15 — Quince
The Unique Teens: 16 to 19
From sixteen onwards, a pattern begins to emerge. In older Spanish texts, you might see these written as three separate words (e.g., “diez y seis”). Modern Spanish requires you to combine them into a single word.
The spelling transformation involves changing the “z” in “diez” to a “c” and adding “i” to connect the parts. Also, notice the accent mark that appears on sixteen. This accent preserves the correct syllable stress.
- 16 — Dieciséis (Notice the accent on the é)
- 17 — Diecisiete
- 18 — Dieciocho
- 19 — Diecinueve
Rules for Spelling Number Words 1-100 in Spanish
Understanding the logic behind the spelling helps you avoid errors. The system changes distinctly once you hit the number thirty. Before that threshold, numbers are condensed into single words. After thirty, they expand.
The Twenties Patterns
The numbers 21 through 29 are written as one word. The root word “veinte” (20) drops its final “e” and replaces it with an “i”.
Three numbers in this group gain a written accent mark: 22, 23, and 26. This happens because combining the words shifts the stress to the final syllable, breaking standard pronunciation rules without the mark.
- 20 — Veinte
- 21 — Veintiuno
- 22 — Veintidós
- 23 — Veintitrés
- 24 — Veinticuatro
- 25 — Veinticinco
- 26 — Veintiséis
- 27 — Veintisiete
- 28 — Veintiocho
- 29 — Veintinueve
The Thirties Through Nineties
Starting at 31, the rule shifts. You write the multiple of ten, the word “y” (meaning “and”), and then the unit number. These are always written as three separate words.
Common Mistake: Do not combine these into one word like you did with the twenties. “Treinta y uno” is correct; “treintiuno” is incorrect.
- 30 — Treinta
- 31 — Treinta y uno
- 32 — Treinta y dos
- 40 — Cuarenta
- 43 — Cuarenta y tres
- 50 — Cincuenta
Detailed Breakdown by Decades
Correctly spelling number words 1-100 in Spanish requires knowing the base for each decade. Once you know the “ten” stem, you simply add “y” plus the single digit (1-9) you learned earlier.
40 to 49 (Cuarenta)
The root is “Cuarenta”. It sounds like “cuatro” (4), which makes it easy to remember.
- 40 — Cuarenta
- 41 — Cuarenta y uno
- 42 — Cuarenta y dos
- 43 — Cuarenta y tres
- 44 — Cuarenta y cuatro
- 45 — Cuarenta y cinco
- 46 — Cuarenta y seis
- 47 — Cuarenta y siete
- 48 — Cuarenta y ocho
- 49 — Cuarenta y nueve
50 to 59 (Cincuenta)
The root is “Cincuenta”. Be careful with the spelling here; it starts with a “C”, not an “S”.
- 50 — Cincuenta
- 55 — Cincuenta y cinco
- 59 — Cincuenta y nueve
60 vs. 70 (Seis vs. Siete)
These two decades often confuse learners because they sound very similar. “Sesenta” (60) relates to “seis” (6). “Setenta” (70) relates to “siete” (7).
Quick Check: Look for the “s” in the middle. Sesenta has an ‘s’ for six. Setenta has a ‘t’ for seven.
- 60 — Sesenta
- 61 — Sesenta y uno
- 62 — Sesenta y dos
- 70 — Setenta
- 71 — Setenta y uno
- 72 — Setenta y dos
80 vs. 90 (Ocho vs. Nueve)
The pattern holds for eighty and ninety. “Ochenta” comes from “ocho”. “Noventa” comes from “nueve”, though the diphthong ‘ue’ changes to a simple ‘o’.
- 80 — Ochenta
- 81 — Ochenta y uno
- 88 — Ochenta y ocho
- 90 — Noventa
- 91 — Noventa y uno
- 99 — Noventa y nueve
The Number 100: Cien vs. Ciento
Reaching the final number on our list introduces one last rule. The number 100 has two forms depending on how you use it.
Use “Cien”: When the number is exactly 100 or used before a noun (of any gender).
- There are 100 people. (Hay cien personas.)
- I have 100 dollars. (Tengo cien dólares.)
Use “Ciento”: When counting past 100 (101-199).
- 101 — Ciento uno
- 105 — Ciento cinco
Important Grammar Rules for Spanish Numbers
Spelling the word correctly is half the battle; using it correctly in a sentence is the other half. Spanish numbers behave like adjectives in certain situations.
Shortening “Uno” to “Un”
When the number “uno” (1) comes before a masculine noun, it shortens to “un”. This applies to “twenty-one”, “thirty-one”, and so on.
- Example: One book — Un libro (Not “Uno libro”)
- Example: Twenty-one years — Veintiún años (Note the added accent mark on the u)
- Example: Thirty-one dogs — Treinta y un perros
Gender Agreement
Numbers ending in “uno” must change to match the gender of the noun. If counting feminine objects, “uno” becomes “una”.
- Example: One table — Una mesa
- Example: 31 apples — Treinta y una manzanas
Pronunciation and Accent Marks
Getting the spelling right aids your pronunciation. The written accent marks in numbers like dieciséis (16), veintidós (22), veintitrés (23), and veintiséis (26) indicate where to place the vocal stress.
In standard Spanish, words ending in ‘n’, ‘s’, or a vowel usually stress the second-to-last syllable. Combining words to form veintidos would naturally put the stress on ‘ti’ (vein-TI-dos). To keep the stress on ‘dos’ (where it belongs), you must add the accent mark: veintidós.
Full Reference Table 1-100
Use this table to check your spelling number words 1-100 in Spanish. Scan the list to see the transition from one word to three words.
| # | Spanish Spelling |
|---|---|
| 1 | Uno |
| 2 | Dos |
| 3 | Tres |
| 4 | Cuatro |
| 5 | Cinco |
| 6 | Seis |
| 7 | Siete |
| 8 | Ocho |
| 9 | Nueve |
| 10 | Diez |
| 11 | Once |
| 12 | Doce |
| 13 | Trece |
| 14 | Catorce |
| 15 | Quince |
| 16 | Dieciséis |
| 17 | Diecisiete |
| 18 | Dieciocho |
| 19 | Diecinueve |
| 20 | Veinte |
| 21 | Veintiuno |
| 22 | Veintidós |
| 23 | Veintitrés |
| 24 | Veinticuatro |
| 25 | Veinticinco |
| 26 | Veintiséis |
| 27 | Veintisiete |
| 28 | Veintiocho |
| 29 | Veintinueve |
| 30 | Treinta |
| 31 | Treinta y uno |
| 32 | Treinta y dos |
| 33 | Treinta y tres |
| 34 | Treinta y cuatro |
| 35 | Treinta y cinco |
| 36 | Treinta y seis |
| 37 | Treinta y siete |
| 38 | Treinta y ocho |
| 39 | Treinta y nueve |
| 40 | Cuarenta |
| 41 | Cuarenta y uno |
| 42 | Cuarenta y dos |
| 43 | Cuarenta y tres |
| 44 | Cuarenta y cuatro |
| 45 | Cuarenta y cinco |
| 46 | Cuarenta y seis |
| 47 | Cuarenta y siete |
| 48 | Cuarenta y ocho |
| 49 | Cuarenta y nueve |
| 50 | Cincuenta |
| 51 | Cincuenta y uno |
| 52 | Cincuenta y dos |
| 53 | Cincuenta y tres |
| 54 | Cincuenta y cuatro |
| 55 | Cincuenta y cinco |
| 56 | Cincuenta y seis |
| 57 | Cincuenta y siete |
| 58 | Cincuenta y ocho |
| 59 | Cincuenta y nueve |
| 60 | Sesenta |
| 61 | Sesenta y uno |
| 62 | Sesenta y dos |
| 63 | Sesenta y tres |
| 64 | Sesenta y cuatro |
| 65 | Sesenta y cinco |
| 66 | Sesenta y seis |
| 67 | Sesenta y siete |
| 68 | Sesenta y ocho |
| 69 | Sesenta y nueve |
| 70 | Setenta |
| 71 | Setenta y uno |
| 72 | Setenta y dos |
| 73 | Setenta y tres |
| 74 | Setenta y cuatro |
| 75 | Setenta y cinco |
| 76 | Setenta y seis |
| 77 | Setenta y siete |
| 78 | Setenta y ocho |
| 79 | Setenta y nueve |
| 80 | Ochenta |
| 81 | Ochenta y uno |
| 82 | Ochenta y dos |
| 83 | Ochenta y tres |
| 84 | Ochenta y cuatro |
| 85 | Ochenta y cinco |
| 86 | Ochenta y seis |
| 87 | Ochenta y siete |
| 88 | Ochenta y ocho |
| 89 | Ochenta y nueve |
| 90 | Noventa |
| 91 | Noventa y uno |
| 92 | Noventa y dos |
| 93 | Noventa y tres |
| 94 | Noventa y cuatro |
| 95 | Noventa y cinco |
| 96 | Noventa y seis |
| 97 | Noventa y siete |
| 98 | Noventa y ocho |
| 99 | Noventa y nueve |
| 100 | Cien |
Practical Tips for Mastery
Memorizing the list is useful, but applying it makes it stick. Here are three simple ways to integrate these numbers into your daily study routine.
Phone Numbers: Write down phone numbers of friends and family. Read them aloud in Spanish, grouping them by twos (e.g., 55-43-21). This mimics how native speakers often recite contact info.
Prices: Next time you are at the grocery store, look at the receipts. Read the total and individual prices in Spanish. This helps you practice the “y” usage in the higher numbers like ochenta y nueve.
Math Drills: Simple arithmetic forces your brain to recall the number quickly. Try equations like “veinte más cinco es igual a…” (20 + 5 = …) to build speed.
Key Takeaways: Spelling Number Words 1-100 in Spanish
➤ Numbers 0-30 are always written as a single word.
➤ Use “y” to separate tens and units only for numbers 31-99.
➤ Accents are required on 16, 22, 23, and 26 to fix stress.
➤ Change “Uno” to “Un” before masculine nouns (e.g., Un gato).
➤ Use “Cien” for exact 100; use “Ciento” for 101+.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 16 (dieciséis) have an accent mark?
When you combine “diez” and “seis” into one word, the natural stress falls on the second-to-last syllable “ci”. To keep the pronunciation correct (stressing the “seis”), Spanish grammar rules require the written accent mark. Without it, you would pronounce it differently.
Do Spanish numbers have gender?
Only the number one (uno) and its compounds (veintiuno, treinta y uno, etc.) change for gender. Use “un” for masculine nouns and “una” for feminine nouns. Numbers ending in other digits (dos, tres, cuatro) remain the same regardless of the noun’s gender.
Is it incorrect to write “treinta y uno” as one word?
Yes, it is incorrect. In modern Spanish, only numbers 0 through 30 are written as single words. From 31 onward, you must use three separate words: the ten, the conjunction “y”, and the unit. Writing “treintiuno” is a misspelling.
When do I use Cien vs. Ciento?
Use “Cien” when the number is exactly 100 or when it acts as an adjective before a noun (e.g., cien libros). Use “Ciento” only when you are counting past 100, such as 101 (ciento uno) or 150 (ciento cincuenta).
How do I pronounce the ‘v’ in twenty (veinte)?
In Spanish, the letters ‘b’ and ‘v’ sound nearly identical. It is a soft sound made by tapping the lips together, not the hard buzzing ‘v’ sound found in English. So, “veinte” sounds very similar to “beinte”.
Wrapping It Up – Spelling Number Words 1-100 in Spanish
Mastering these numbers opens the door to essential conversations about time, money, and dates. While the irregulars in the first fifteen require memorization, the rest follow a clear and logical structure.
Focus on the transition at number 30. Once you remember to switch from one word to three words at that specific point, the rest becomes a simple matter of mixing and matching the tens and units. Use the chart above as your daily reference until the patterns become second nature.