- Understand the difference between cardinal (uno, dos, tres) and ordinal (primero, segundo, tercero) numbers
- Master agreement rules for ordinal numbers (primero/primera, tercero/tercera)
- Learn apocope: when primero becomes primer and tercero becomes tercer
- Know when to use cardinals vs ordinals in dates, rankings, floors, and kings
- Form complex numbers like 222 (doscientos veintidós) and understand why complex ordinals are rarely used
- Avoid common mistakes like using ordinals for dates (except el primero)
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FoundationsElementary
Cardinal and ordinal numbers
Count and order things in Spanish with numbers
What You'll Learn
Overview
Spanish has two types of numbers: cardinal numbers for counting quantities and ordinal numbers for indicating order or position.
Cardinal Numbers
What: Counting numbers
Examples: uno, dos, tres, cuatro...
Used for: Quantities, ages, dates
Tengo dos hermanos
I have two siblings
Ordinal Numbers
What: Ordering/ranking numbers
Examples: primero, segundo, tercero...
Used for: Floors, rankings, kings
Vivo en el tercer piso
I live on the third floor
Structure & Formation
Cardinal numbers (1-1000+)
Basic cardinals (1-19)
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
Tens (20-90)
20-veinte
21-veintiuno
22-veintidós
23-veintitrés
30-treinta
40-cuarenta
50-cincuenta
60-sesenta
70-setenta
80-ochenta
90-noventa
21-29 use "veinti-", but 31+ use "y" (treinta y uno, cuarenta y dos)
Hundreds (100-900)
100-cien/ciento
200-doscientos/as
300-trescientos/as
400-cuatrocientos/as
500-quinientos/as
600-seiscientos/as
700-setecientos/as
800-ochocientos/as
900-novecientos/as
Large numbers (1,000+)
1,000-mil
2,000-dos mil
10,000-diez mil
100,000-cien mil
1,000,000-un millón
2,000,000-dos millones
1,000,000,000-mil millones
1,000,000,000,000-un billón
Key rules for cardinal numbers
Uno agreement
Uno → un (masc) / una (fem): un libro, una casa, veintiún libros
Hundreds agreement
200-900 agree in gender: doscientos libros, doscientas páginas
Cien vs ciento
Cien = exactly 100 (cien personas). Ciento = 101-199 (ciento cinco)
Complex numbers
Pattern: [hundreds] + [tens] + y + [units]. "y" only between tens and units: doscientos veintidós, trescientos cuarenta y cinco
Large number rules
- mil never changes form (never "un mil" or "miles")
- millón/billón DO use "un" and require "de" before nouns: un millón de personas
- billón = trillion (1,000,000,000,000), not billion!
Ordinal numbers (1st-10th and beyond)
Common ordinals (1st-10th)
Used frequently in everyday Spanish:
1st-primero/a
2nd-segundo/a
3rd-tercero/a
4th-cuarto/a
5th-quinto/a
6th-sexto/a
7th-séptimo/a
8th-octavo/a
9th-noveno/a
10th-décimo/a
11th-20th (rarely spoken)
11th-undécimo/a
12th-duodécimo/a
13th-decimotercero/a
14th-decimocuarto/a
15th-decimoquinto/a
16th-decimosexto/a
17th-decimoséptimo/a
18th-decimoctavo/a
19th-decimonoveno/a
20th-vigésimo/a
30th+ (very rare, formal writing only)
30th-trigésimo/a
40th-cuadragésimo/a
50th-quincuagésimo/a
100th-centésimo/a
1000th-milésimo/a
Native speakers use cardinals instead: mi cumpleaños número treinta (my 30th birthday)
Key rules for ordinal numbers
Gender and number agreement
Ordinals are adjectives and must agree: el primer día, la primera vez, los primeros años, las primeras semanas
Apocope (dropping the -o)
Primero → primer and tercero → tercer before masculine singular nouns only:
- el primer lugar (the first place) - drops -o
- la primera casa (the first house) - keeps -o (feminine)
- Es el primero (He's the first one) - keeps -o (no noun after)
Beyond 10th: use cardinals instead
Native speakers say mi cumpleaños número treinta (my 30th birthday), not mi trigésimo cumpleaños
When to use cardinals vs ordinals
Dates → CARDINALS (except 1st)
el cinco de mayo
the 5th of May
el primero de enero
the 1st of January (exception!)
Floors → ORDINALS (1st-10th)
Vivo en el cuarto piso
I live on the 4th floor
la planta baja
ground floor (special term)
Kings/Popes → ORDINALS
Felipe Sexto
King Felipe VI
Isabel Segunda
Queen Elizabeth II
Ages → CARDINALS
Tengo treinta años
I'm 30 years old
Cumplo cuarenta mañana
I turn 40 tomorrow
Rankings → ORDINALS (1st-10th)
Quedé en segundo lugar
I came in second place
la quinta avenida
Fifth Avenue
Centuries → BOTH accepted
el siglo veintiuno
21st century (cardinal, common)
el siglo vigésimo primero
21st century (ordinal, formal)
Examples
Cardinal Numbers (Counting)
Prices
Cuesta doscientos cincuenta euros
It costs 250 euros
Decimals
Son treinta y dos con cincuenta
That's 32.50
Ages
Tengo treinta y cinco años
I'm 35 years old
Quantities
Hay cincuenta estudiantes
There are 50 students
Dates
Nací el veinticinco de diciembre
I was born on the 25th of December
Large numbers
La ciudad tiene dos millones de habitantes
The city has 2 million inhabitants
Ordinal Numbers (Ordering)
Floors
Vivo en el tercer piso
I live on the 3rd floor
Buildings
La oficina está en la quinta planta
The office is on the 5th floor
Rankings
Quedó en primer lugar
He/she came in first place
Dates (1st only)
Hoy es el primero de enero
Today is the 1st of January
Royalty
Felipe Sexto
King Felipe VI
Centuries
el siglo veintiuno
the 21st century
Number Agreement
Uno agreement
un libro / una casa
one book / one house
21 agreement
veintiún libros / veintiuna casas
21 books / 21 houses
Hundreds masc
doscientos libros
200 books (masc)
Hundreds fem
doscientas páginas
200 pages (fem)
Apocope
el primer día
the first day
No apocope (fem)
la primera vez
the first time
Common Mistakes
Most Common Number Mistakes
Wrong: el quinto de marzo
Correct: el cinco de marzo
Use cardinal numbers for dates, not ordinals (except "el primero")
Wrong: el primero día
Correct: el primer día
Primero becomes "primer" before masculine singular nouns (apocope)
Wrong: el tercero piso
Correct: el tercer piso
Tercero becomes "tercer" before masculine singular nouns (apocope)
Wrong: doscientos y veintidós
Correct: doscientos veintidós
No "y" between hundreds and tens - "y" only goes between tens and units
Number Agreement Errors
Wrong: doscientos personas
Correct: doscientas personas
Hundreds (200-900) must agree in gender with the noun - personas is feminine
Wrong: un mil personas
Correct: mil personas
Never use "un" before "mil" or "cien" - just say "mil" or "cien"
Wrong: veintiuno libros
Correct: veintiún libros
Uno becomes "un" before masculine nouns, including in 21, 31, etc.
Key Rules to Remember
Dates
Use cardinals for all dates except the 1st: el cinco de mayo, but el primero de enero
Millón Exception
Unlike mil/cien, millón DOES use "un": un millón de personas (also needs "de")
Quick Test
Test your understanding of Spanish cardinal and ordinal numbers:
1. What's the correct way to say 'the first house'?
Ala uno casa
Bla primera casa
Cla primer casa
Del primero casa
2. How do you say '21st of March' in Spanish?
Ael veintiuno de marzo
Bel vigésimo primero de marzo
Cel veintiún de marzo
Del primero de marzo
3. Which is correct for 'King Charles III'?
ARey Carlos Tres
BRey Carlos Tercero
CRey Carlos III
DBoth B and C
4. Complete: 'Vivo en el ___ piso' (I live on the 3rd floor)
Atres
Btercero
Ctercer
Dtercera
5. How do you say '222' in Spanish?
Adoscientos veinte y dos
Bdoscientos veintidós
Cdos cientos veintidós
Ddosciento veintidós
6. What's correct for 'the first day'?
Ael primero día
Bel primer día
Cla primera día
Del uno día
7. For 'my 30th birthday', would you use ordinals?
AYes, always use ordinals for ages
BNo, use cardinal: mi cumpleaños número treinta
CUse 'trigésimo cumpleaños'
DBoth B and C are common
8. Which is correct: 'the 21st century'?
Ael siglo veintiuno
Bel siglo vigésimo primero
CBoth are correct
Del siglo veinte y uno