An easy beginner guide to cardinal & ordinal numbers in Spanish

Check out this simple guide to ordinal and cardinal numbers in Spanish without any math prerequisites.

Even if you don’t consider your left side of the brain to be the stronger half (guilty!), you still need to use numbers on a daily basis — even in Spanish. Indeed, using the numbers in Spanish is one of the first skills any language learner should sign up to master, especially since you’ll need them to tell the time, buy fruits and veggies at the market, and order a second (but who’s counting?) cup of coffee.

However, how do you know when to differentiate between cardinal (one, two, three) and ordinal (first, second, third) numbers? Although people will probably be able to understand what you mean even if you use the incorrect form, mastering the difference between ordinal vs. cardinal numbers in Spanish will help you sound much more natural. For example, check out the following sentences:

• This is my three beer
• This is my third beer

You probably understand what both sentences mean, but the first one sounds wrong. The same is true in Spanish, where mixing up ordinal with cardinal numbers every now and then might not do anything more than raise a few eyebrows, but it’s still very important for intermediate Spanish speakers and above to dominate when and how to use ordinal vs. cardinal numbers.

In this blog, we’ll cover all the important differences and go over how to say hundreds of cardinal and ordinal numbers in Spanish to help you ace when to use the right form of each number.

Table of contents

• The difference between ordinal numbers vs cardinal numbers
• Spanish cardinal numbers
• Spanish ordinal numbers
• How to contract ordinal numbers
• Roman numerals in Spanish
• Practical examples and exercises

Ordinal vs cardinal numbers: the key differences

First things first, let’s review the key differences between ordinal and cardinal numbers in Spanish. The main thing you should keep in mind is that ordinal numbers work as adjectives. That means that you can use them to describe another noun, changing the meaning of the noun they are modifying. For example:

• Este es mi primer auto. (This is my first car.)
• Ese es un auto. (That is one car.)

Using an ordinal number to describe the car tells us so much more about the car than the cardinal number ever could. Knowing that it was your first car can let us into some of the feelings and emotions you may have experienced when first driving it or what the car could’ve looked like.

On the other hand, using cardinal numbers is also incredibly helpful as they, quite bluntly, make the world go round. Without cardinal numbers, we wouldn’t be able to specify quantities, do math, or even do business. So, although they’re the more basic of the two forms of numbers, that doesn’t make them any less exciting!

Now, let’s do a deep dive into each of the two forms of numbers in Spanish.

Cardinal numbers in Spanish

Cardinal numbers are probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of numbers. They’re the ones used in most mathematical equations and the ones you’ll see on your credit card bill. Let’s take a closer look at the cardinal numbers in Spanish.

What are the cardinal numbers in Spanish? How do you write and pronounce them?

Regardless of your Spanish level, you’re probably already familiar with the first few Spanish numbers (uno, dos, tres, cuatro!). However, there are millions of cardinal numbers in Spanish, which makes learning them all a gargantuan task. Here are some of the most common numbers, up to a trillion!

How do you say one billion in Spanish?

One quirky little fun fact about Spanish that’s worth pointing out, is that one billion and un billón are NOT the same. Although you might be tempted to simply translate billions into billones, let’s break down these big numbers to see what’s going on:

Notice how one billion in English is one thousand million in Spanish, and un billón in Spanish is one trillion in English? That’s because these languages use different ways to refer to the same numbers. A billion in English refers to “one thousand millions,” but un billón in Spanish refers to “one million millions.” Don’t make this easily-avoidable mistake when closing those billion-dollar deals!

Example sentences with cardinal numbers

As you already know, we’ve got some handy example sentences to help you see yourself using these numbers expertly in everyday conversations. Here are ten ways to use cardinal numbers in Spanish:

Ordinal numbers in Spanish

Ordinal numbers, while much less common than cardinal numbers, are still very important to know. Perhaps they don’t come with the same value to everyday conversations, but they help us add significance to important things like anniversaries, tournaments, milestones, and more. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about ordinal numbers in Spanish.

What are ordinal numbers in Spanish? How do you write and pronounce them?

Ordinal numbers take the form of adjectives, so they need to agree in gender with the noun. That means you’ll have to change from masculine to feminine form to match the noun. Below, you’ll find a list of the most relevant ordinal numbers in Spanish along with both masculine and feminine pronunciations.

Example sentences with ordinal numbers

If you’ve been following our handy Spanish guides for a while, you already know that we love to provide as much helpful information as possible. That’s why we’ve got ten example sentences with ordinal numbers in Spanish for you.

How to contract ordinal numbers

Just like English often contracts ordinal numbers (2nd), Spanish has its own contraction system. As you’ve already seen, ordinal numbers can get very long very quickly, so feel free to use contractions any time you’re typing to save space and time!

Roman numerals in Spanish

Perhaps surprisingly, you’ll also want to be familiar with Roman numerals when learning all about numbers in Spanish. Unlike English, which uses Roman numerals sporadically, Spanish uses them quite extensively. If you’ve never learned about Roman numerals or simply need a little refresher, here are the most common numbers:

When to use Roman numerals in Spanish

While you could plausibly go your entire life without learning how to use Roman numerals in English, the same isn’t true for Spanish. There are many common scenarios where Roman numerals are not only preferred but expected. Here are a few situations where Roman numerals are required in Spanish:

• For centuries. Any time you write about a particular century, you’ll want to use Roman numerals. For example, in English, you can just say “Shakespeare was born in the 16th century,” but in Spanish, you’ll have to say “Shakespeare nació en el siglo XVI.”
• Monuments and historical sites. As you travel through Spanish-speaking countries, you’ll undoubtedly see some breathtaking sights and monuments. And in those monuments, you’ll find plaques commemorating the most important years for the monuments, like the event they commemorate or the year they were built. And, you guessed it, those years will be written in Roman numerals!
• Numbering. Numbering things like book volumes, chapters, and other series of texts requires the use of Roman numerals.
• Naming important personalities. You’ve heard of King Louis XVI, right? Just as his name is written in Roman numerals in English, Spanish also uses Roman numerals for important personalities and lines of succession.
• Numbering events. If you’re from the United States, you may have noticed that each Super Bowl is numbered with Roman numerals. The same is true in Spanish, where recurring events are often numbered with Roman numerals.

How to use Roman numerals

Before you run away frantically, let us reassure you that using Roman numerals requires only the most basic arithmetic. Yes, some math is involved, but you won’t have to struggle too much if you passed some elementary school math classes.

Here’s what you need to know to use Roman numerals:

• The order of the letters is extremely important. Numbers are always written from left to right, from the highest to the lowest digit.
• When the initial number is followed by numbers of equal or lower values, those are added to the initial number. For example, XI = (10 + 1) = 11.
• On the other hand, when a number is preceded by lower-value numbers, these are always subtracted from the bigger number. For example, IX = (10 - 1) = 9.
• The Roman numeral V (5) may not, under any circumstance, subtract value. As such, numbers like 95 are written XCV (90 + 5), not VC (100 -5).
• The numbers I, X, and C can subtract value if placed in front of a larger number. However, they cannot repeat and only subtract from numbers like V and X.
• The number X can only subtract from L and C.
• The number C can only subtract from D and M.

If that sounds like a lot of rules, don’t worry. We’ll show you some examples along with their calculations so you start getting a hang of it. Just like arithmetic, this will all be second nature to you once you figure out a few numbers on your own!

Examples of Roman numerals

Now that you’ve got a quick guide on the addition and subtraction rules, here are some examples of numbers written in Roman numerals along with their calculations.

Practical examples and exercises

If you feel like you’ve got a good handle on all the numbers we’ve gone over, why not test the depth of your understanding with a little quiz? After all, nobody will be grading this for you, so give the following exercises your best shot! We’ve included the number in parentheses, but it is up to you to figure out if it should be an ordinal or cardinal number.