Numbers (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Numbers
Cardinal numbers 1-1000
Understanding numbers in Spanish is fundamental for everyday communication. Spanish numbers follow logical patterns once you learn the basics, though there are some important agreement rules to master.
Numbers 1-100
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uno | one | once | eleven | veintiuno | twenty-one |
| dos | two | doce | twelve | veintidós | twenty-two |
| tres | three | trece | thirteen | treinta | thirty |
| cuatro | four | catorce | fourteen | treinta y uno | thirty-one |
| cinco | five | quince | fifteen | treinta y dos | thirty-two |
| seis | six | dieciséis | sixteen | cuarenta | forty |
| siete | seven | diecisiete | seventeen | cincuenta | fifty |
| ocho | eight | dieciocho | eighteen | sesenta | sixty |
| nueve | nine | diecinueve | nineteen | setenta | seventy |
| diez | ten | veinte | twenty | ochenta | eighty |
| noventa | ninety | ||||
| cien | one hundred |
Large numbers
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ciento uno | one hundred and one | trescientos/as | three hundred |
| doscientos/as | two hundred | mil | one thousand |
| quinientos/as | five hundred | setecientos/as | seven hundred |
| novecientos/as | nine hundred |
Ejemplo: Using Numbers in Context
- Tengo veintiún años. (I am twenty-one years old.)
- Hay doscientas personas en la sala. (There are two hundred people in the room.)
- El libro cuesta quinientos euros. (The book costs five hundred euros.)
- Vivo en el tercer piso. (I live on the third floor.)
Critical Grammar Rules
Numbers ending in uno drop the final o before masculine nouns. The hundreds (200, 300, etc.) must agree in gender with feminine nouns. Some hundreds have irregular forms: 500 (quinientos), 700 (setecientos), and 900 (novecientos).
Number agreement rules
Spanish numbers must agree with the nouns they modify in certain cases. This is crucial for accurate communication and avoiding common mistakes.
Numbers ending in uno change to agree with masculine nouns by dropping the "-o". For example, veintiún años (twenty-one years) rather than "veintiuno años". This pattern applies to all compound numbers ending in one: 31, 41, 51, etc.
The hundreds from 200-999 must agree in gender with feminine nouns. You write doscientas mujeres (two hundred women) but doscientos hombres (two hundred men). The irregular hundreds (quinientos, setecientos, novecientos) follow the same rule: quinientas casas vs quinientos coches.
Dates
Writing dates in Spanish follows a specific pattern that differs from English. The format uses el + day + de + month + de + year, with all numbers written out in full.
Ejemplo: Date Formatting
- 13 December 1978 = el trece de diciembre de mil novecientos setenta y ocho
- 21 July 2016 = el veintiuno de julio del dos mil dieciséis
For the first day of the month, you can use either el primero de abril or el uno de abril. Both forms are acceptable, though el primero is more formal.
Remember that months are not capitalised in Spanish, unlike in English. Write enero not "Enero".
Telling time
Time expressions in Spanish have specific patterns that students must memorise. The key difference is that one o'clock is singular while all other times are plural.
Basic time expressions
| Time | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | Es la una | It's one o'clock |
| 5:00 | Son las cinco | It's five o'clock |
| 10:00 | A las diez | At ten o'clock |
Minutes and quarters
| Time | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| 3:05 | las tres y cinco | five past three |
| 3:15 | las tres y cuarto | quarter past three |
| 3:30 | las tres y media | half past three |
| 3:45 | las cuatro menos cuarto | quarter to four |
| 3:55 | las cuatro menos cinco | five to four |
Ejemplo: Time in Sentences
- La clase empieza a las nueve. (The class starts at nine.)
- Son las tres y media. (It's half past three.)
- El tren sale a las cinco menos cuarto. (The train leaves at quarter to five.)
Time Grammar Rule
Use Es la una for one o'clock (singular) but Son las for all other times (plural). For "at" a specific time, use a las (a la una for one o'clock).
Ordinal numbers
Ordinal numbers indicate position or order and must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. Unlike cardinal numbers, ordinals are not commonly used beyond "tenth" in everyday Spanish.
Common ordinals
| Spanish (masc.) | Spanish (fem.) | English |
|---|---|---|
| primero | primera | first |
| segundo | segunda | second |
| tercero | tercera | third |
Agreement Rules for Ordinals
Primero and tercero shorten to primer and tercer before masculine singular nouns. For example: el primer día (the first day) and el tercer piso (the third floor).
Ejemplo: Ordinal Numbers in Use
- Vivo en la segunda planta. (I live on the second floor.)
- Es su primer trabajo. (It's his first job.)
- La tercera calle a la derecha. (The third street on the right.)
Ordinals are only used for dates when referring to the first of the month. For all other dates, use cardinal numbers.
Translation practice
Spanish to English:
- Tengo diecinueve años y vivo en el quinto piso.
- La reunión es el primero de marzo a las dos y media.
English to Spanish: 3. There are three hundred and fifty students in the school. 4. The shop closes at quarter to six.
Translation Answers
- I am nineteen years old and I live on the fifth floor.
- The meeting is on the first of March at half past two.
- Hay trescientos cincuenta estudiantes en el colegio.
- La tienda cierra a las seis menos cuarto.
Phrase bank
- ¿Qué hora es? (What time is it?)
- ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)
- A las ocho en punto (At eight o'clock sharp)
- A mediodía/medianoche (At midday/midnight)
- El día de mi cumpleaños es... (My birthday is...)
Common Errors and Fixes
- Error: veintiuno años → Fix: veintiún años (drop the -o before masculine nouns)
- Error: doscientos mujeres → Fix: doscientas mujeres (hundreds must agree in gender)
- Error: son la una → Fix: es la una (one o'clock is singular)
- Error: el Enero → Fix: enero (months are not capitalised)
- Error: segundo día → Fix: segundo día ✓ (ordinals agree in gender)
Key Points to Remember
- Numbers ending in uno drop the -o before masculine nouns
- Hundreds (200-999) must agree in gender with the nouns they modify
- One o'clock uses es la una (singular) while other times use son las (plural)
- Ordinals primero and tercero shorten to primer and tercer before masculine singular nouns
- Months are never capitalised in Spanish dates