Generally speaking, writing numbers in Spanish is not that different from Italian. Roman numerals are also used in this language, but there are obviously some peculiarities of Spanish, especially as regards the higher figures or the use of numeral adjectives.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Write the Cardinal Numbers
Step 1. Memorize the numbers represented by a single word
The first 15 numbers of the Spanish language are represented by a single word that must be learned by heart. From 15 up, the numbers are formed by means of combinations, so you can make up the other numbers by combining the names of those you already know.
Here are the first 15 numbers in Spanish: uno (1), dos (2), tres (3), cuatro (4), cinco (5), seis (6), sei (7), ocho (8), nueve (9), diez (10), once (11), doce (12), trece (13), catorce (14) and quince (15)
Step 2. Learn to count the tens
The tens are also made up of a single word. The tens are formed by adding the suffix -enta to the word representing the first digit. For example, cuarenta derives from the combination of cuatro (4) and the suffix -enta (you have to remove the t and the o from the cuatro).
To write numbers up to 99, you only need to know the tens and the second digit, which must be separated with the conjunction y, or "and". For example, 34 would be treinta y cuatro, which literally means "30 and 4"
Step 3. Use the suffix -cientos to refer to the hundreds
To form a number belonging to the group of hundreds, just add the name of the unit to the suffix ciento or cientos.
For example, doscientos means 200. The only exception is 500, which translates to quinientos
Step 4. Connect the tens and ones with the conjunction y ("and")
If you have to write a large number in Spanish, you must enter a y between the second and third digits of each 3-digit group. This rule must be applied regardless of the amount of groups present.
For example, if you want to write the number 999.999 in Spanish, the result would be: novecientos noventa y nueve mil novecientos noventa y nueve, which is "nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine"
Step 5. Learn the word mil, which in Spanish means "one thousand"
If it is a quantity that is exactly equal to 1000, you should write mil instead of a mil. The plural of mil is miles.
There is an exception: if you have to write a check that amounts to 1000 euros, then you should use a mil instead of mil to prevent someone from altering it, although technically this is not the correct expression
Step 6. Use the word millón to refer to one million and millones to refer to several million
The order to follow is the same as that used in Italian: first write the number of millions, then add the lower digits.
Step 7. Keep in mind that billions are expressed differently in Spanish
In this language, extremely high numbers, such as billions and trillions, are counted differently than in Italian. If you don't learn this difference, you risk making serious mistakes when writing a number of this magnitude in Spanish.
In Spanish, one billion translates to mil milliones, literally "one thousand million". The word billón, on the other hand, is equivalent to one thousand billion
Step 8. Shorten the words ciento, uno and veintiuno
If you refer to the round number 100, the word ciento is shortened to cien. If the numbers one and veintiuno precede another number, a noun or an adjective, they must be abbreviated to un and veintiún respectively.
- For example, if you are talking about a single dog, you would write a perro.
- The female versions of these numbers, however, should not be shortened. For example, if you are talking about a ball, you would write a pelota.
Step 9. Use decimal separators correctly
In this case, the Spanish follows the same rules as the Italian language, without any difference.
- When you write numbers in Spanish, separate the thousands using a period, just like in Italian. For example, consider the number "126.342".
- Similarly, decimals must be separated with a comma. For example, consider pi: "3, 14159265359".
Step 10. Separate the thousands with a space
While it is possible to divide them using a period, you can also leave a simple white space.
This method is very common for separating thousands, as it is quite practical for writing numbers
Step 11. Don't forget the concordance
If a number describes a feminine noun, it should end in -a instead of -o. Also, don't forget to use the plural if the noun requires it.
- For example, if you are referring to 20 houses, in Spanish you would write veinte casas.
- In Spanish, anything that does not exactly correspond to a unit must be pluralized. For example, if you are faced with an invoice or an accounting sheet, the noun must be pluralized even if the quantity indicated should be "1, 00" (such as 1, 0 gram s).
Step 12. As for dates, use cardinal numbers, just like in Italian
For example, you would write 2 de abril, which means "April 2". The format is as follows: cardinal number + de ("di") + month. In the case of the first day of the month, the adjective primero is usually used, for example primero de abril, that is "first of April".
Method 2 of 3: Write Ordinal and Multiple Numbers
Step 1. Use ordinal numbers to indicate a certain position within a series of elements
Cardinal numbers are used to count things or describe a number of things. Instead, ordinal numbers describe the position of something in an ordered list, such as the ranking of athletes at the end of a race.
Lower ordinal numbers, such as primero ("first") and segundo ("second"), are used more often
Step 2. Remember to make ordinal numbers agree with the things they describe
Since they are used as adjectives, they must have the same gender as the words they are associated with. If it is masculine, the ordinal number will end in -o, while if it is feminine in -a.
For example, if you had to refer to the "second house" on a certain street, you would write the second house
Step 3. Maintain concordance even in abbreviations
In Italian, ordinal numbers are sometimes abbreviated (such as "1 °" or "2 °"). You can also do it in Spanish. For example, "1st" would become 1st to refer to a feminine noun and 1st for a masculine one.
Step 4. Create multiples similar to Italian
Words like "double" or "triple" indicate the multiplication of a number. Words that represent multiples are fairly easy for native Italian speakers to learn and memorize: for example, "double" translates to doble.
- All multiples (except the first 7) are created by adding the suffix -plo to the root of the cardinal number. Pay attention to the accents, which indicate which syllable should be emphasized.
- The first 7 ordinal numbers also have forms ending with the suffix -plo (such as duplo or triple), but they are rarely used by native speakers.
Step 5. Edit adjectives to create verbs and adverbs
As in Italian, multiples can be transformed into verbs ("doubled" or "tripled") or adverbs ("doubly" or "triply"). To form these words in Spanish, you need to change the form of the adjectives.
- To create a verb, change the suffix -plo to -plicar. To make this change with the first 7 multiples, you need to use the -plo form, which tends to be used infrequently. For example, "to double" translates to duplicar in Spanish.
- To create an adverb, just use the standard adverbial suffix, that is -mente, just like in Italian. For example, triple would become triple.
Method 3 of 3: Expressing Fractions and Percentages
Step 1. Memorize the words associated with the various fractions
Although means and thirds have unique words in Spanish, fractions between quarters and tenths are equivalent to their respective ordinal numbers. Powers of 10 are also ordinal.
All other words associated with fractions are formed by adding the suffix -avo to the corresponding cardinal number. For example, if you want to write "eleventh", you would use the adjective onceavo
Step 2. Use the word part to refer to fractions
If you use the fraction as an adjective, you must add the term part immediately after, just like in Italian.
For example, the phrase "I took the third part" translates as Tomé la tercera parte
Step 3. Write fractional adjectives using a single word
The same rule used in Italian must therefore be applied, regardless of the length of the word.
For example, the fraction "1/59" should be written as follows: cincuentainueveavo
Step 4. Choose the correct genre for the fractions
Generally speaking, fractions in Spanish are masculine if you use them as nouns and feminine if you use them as adjectives.
- Fractional nouns that express powers of 10 can be masculine or feminine. The choice depends on the country you are in: in Spain they are generally female, while in Latin America they are male.
- For example, "a tenth" would be décimo in Guatemala, while in Spain it is usually spelled décima to make sure you define the difference.
- Fractional nouns other than powers of 10 are always masculine.
Step 5. Use por ciento to express a percentage
The percentages are indicated as in Italian. You can use both the complete expression and the "%" sign. For example, you could write both 7 percent and 7 percent.
