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A1 Language Objectives
By the end of this lesson you will be able to: count from 1-100 in Spanish, apply gender agreement with numbers (un/una, veintun/veintiuna), understand the counting patterns that make 30-100 systematic, and use numbers in real Colombian transactions (prices, phone numbers, addresses).
Numbers are not just math -- they are grammar. In Spanish, the number "one" changes form based on the gender of the noun it describes: un cafe (one coffee, masculine) but una arepa (one arepa, feminine). This lesson teaches numbers as a grammatical system you will use every day in Colombia -- ordering food, paying at shops, giving your phone number, and understanding prices.
At the Tienda de Barrio
You walk into a neighborhood shop (tienda de barrio) in Bogota. The shopkeeper says: "Son tres mil quinientos." (That will be 3,500 pesos.) You need to understand the number, count your bills, and possibly give your phone number for a delivery. Numbers are among the first Spanish words you will need in real transactions.
These numbers must be memorized individually -- they do not follow a pattern. But you already know several from English loan words (think: "uno" from card games).
| Number | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | uno / un / una | OO-noh / oon / OO-nah |
| 2 | dos | dohs |
| 3 | tres | trehs |
| 4 | cuatro | KWAH-troh |
| 5 | cinco | SEEN-koh |
| 6 | seis | sehs |
| 7 | siete | SYEH-teh |
| 8 | ocho | OH-choh |
| 9 | nueve | NWEH-beh |
| 10 | diez | dyehs |
| 11 | once | OHN-seh |
| 12 | doce | DOH-seh |
| 13 | trece | TREH-seh |
| 14 | catorce | kah-TOHR-seh |
| 15 | quince | KEEN-seh |
How do you say 'one coffee' (masculine noun) in Spanish?
Numbers 16-19 and 21-29 are compound words written as one word. They follow a clear pattern: base number + i + ones digit.
| Number | Spanish | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | dieciseis | diez + i + seis |
| 17 | diecisiete | diez + i + siete |
| 18 | dieciocho | diez + i + ocho |
| 19 | diecinueve | diez + i + nueve |
| 20 | veinte | (standalone) |
| 21 | veintiuno | veinte + i + uno |
| 22 | veintidos | veinte + i + dos |
| 23 | veintitres | veinte + i + tres |
| 24 | veinticuatro | veinte + i + cuatro |
| 25 | veinticinco | veinte + i + cinco |
| 26 | veintiseis | veinte + i + seis |
| 27 | veintisiete | veinte + i + siete |
| 28 | veintiocho | veinte + i + ocho |
| 29 | veintinueve | veinte + i + nueve |
How do you say '25' in Spanish?
From 30 onward, the pattern becomes completely regular: tens word + y + ones digit. Once you know the tens, you can construct any number.
| Tens | Spanish |
|---|---|
| 30 | treinta |
| 40 | cuarenta |
| 50 | cincuenta |
| 60 | sesenta |
| 70 | setenta |
| 80 | ochenta |
| 90 | noventa |
| 100 | cien |
Building any number 31-99: tens + y + ones.
How do you say '63' in Spanish?
Understanding Prices at Exito Supermarket
The cashier says: "Son cuarenta y dos mil trescientos." (42,300 pesos.) Break it down: cuarenta y dos (42) + mil (thousand) + trescientos (300). Colombian prices are in thousands of pesos, so you will hear numbers combined with mil (thousand) constantly. For now, focus on recognizing the numbers 1-100 -- we will cover larger numbers in a future lesson.
In Colombia, you use numbers constantly. Here are the most common contexts:
A tinto costs mil doscientos (1,200 pesos). An almuerzo corriente costs doce mil (12,000 pesos). Focus on catching the core number (doce = 12) and adding mil (thousand).
Colombians read phone numbers one digit at a time: 3-1-5-2-4-7-8-9-0-1 = "tres-uno-cinco-dos-cuatro-siete-ocho-nueve-cero-uno." Practice reading your phone number in Spanish.
"Calle sesenta y tres numero doce - cuarenta y cinco" (Calle 63 #12-45). Addresses use numbers extensively in Colombia.
Buying Fruit at Paloquemao Market
You point at some mangoes. The vendor says: "Tres por cinco mil." (Three for 5,000.) You want five mangoes instead: "?Y cinco?" She calculates: "Ocho mil quinientos." (8,500.) You hand her a 10,000-peso bill. She gives you change: "Mil quinientos de cambio." (1,500 in change.) Every number in this exchange uses what you learned today.
A Colombian gives you their phone number: '3-1-2-4-5-6-7-8-9-0.' How would they say the '4-5' part?
These do not follow a pattern. Practice until they are automatic.
One word each: dieciseis, veintiuno, etc. Gender agreement: veintun (masculine) vs. veintiuna (feminine).
Completely regular: treinta y uno, cuarenta y dos, etc. Know the tens words and you can build any number.
This Week's Practice
Counting drill: Count 1-100 aloud every morning. Time yourself -- aim to get under 90 seconds.
Price practice: Next time you see a price (in any currency), say it in Spanish. $47 = cuarenta y siete. $83 = ochenta y tres.
Phone number drill: Say your own phone number digit by digit in Spanish. Then practice with friends' numbers.
Random number test: Have someone call out random numbers 1-100 in English and you say them in Spanish. Speed builds fluency.
"Son las tres y veinticinco" (It is 3:25). You will learn time structures in Lesson 7, but the numbers are the foundation.
Un cafe (masculine), una arepa (feminine). This applies to uno, veintiuno, treinta y uno, etc.