Numbers are everywhere — phone numbers, addresses, prices, ages. In this lesson, you'll master numbers 0-20 in Spanish and learn to exchange phone numbers. These numbers are the building blocks for all larger numbers you'll learn later.
Learning tips
- Numbers 0-15 must be memorized individually — they don't follow a pattern.
- Numbers 16-19 are compound words: dieci- + number (dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve).
- Practice by saying phone numbers, addresses, and ages in Spanish throughout your day.
- In Colombia, 'celular' is used for cellphone (not 'móvil' as in Spain).
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| trabajar | to work |
| estudiar | to study |
| el profesor | the teacher (m) |
| la profesora | the teacher (f) |
| el estudiante | the student |
| el doctor | the doctor (m) |
| la doctora | the doctor (f) |
| la oficina | the office |
| ¿qué? | what? |
| ¿dónde? | where? |
Dialog
Andrés and Valentina exchange phone numbers. In Spanish, phone numbers are typically read digit by digit, just like in English. The key phrases are '¿Cuál es tu número?' (What's your number?) and 'Mi número es...' (My number is...). Notice how Valentina counts 'uno, dos, tres' at the end — a playful way to confirm she's saved the number.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| cero | /ˈse.ɾo/ | zero | |
| uno | /ˈu.no/ | one | Changes to 'un' before masculine nouns (un libro) |
| dos | /ˈdos/ | two | |
| tres | /ˈtɾes/ | three | |
| cuatro | /ˈkwa.tɾo/ | four | |
| cinco | /ˈsiŋ.ko/ | five | |
| el número | /ˈnu.me.ɾo/ | the number | |
| el teléfono | /te.ˈle.fo.no/ | the telephone, phone | |
| el celular | /se.lu.ˈlaɾ/ | the cellphone | Colombian term — Spain uses 'móvil' |
| por favor | /poɾ fa.ˈβoɾ/ | please | Essential polite expression |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| seis | /ˈsei̯s/ | six | |
| siete | /ˈsje.te/ | seven | |
| ocho | /ˈo.tʃo/ | eight | |
| nueve | /ˈnwe.βe/ | nine | |
| diez | /ˈdjes/ | ten | |
| once | /ˈon.se/ | eleven | |
| doce | /ˈdo.se/ | twelve | |
| trece | /ˈtɾe.se/ | thirteen | |
| catorce | /ka.ˈtoɾ.se/ | fourteen | |
| quince | /ˈkin.se/ | fifteen |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| ¿cuál es tu número? | What's your number? |
| mi número es… | My number is… |
Grammar: Numbers 0-20
| Number | Spanish |
|---|---|
| 0 | cero |
| 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 |
| 20 | veinte |
Spanish numbers 0-20 need to be memorized, as the first 15 are all unique words. Here's the pattern:
- 0-15: Each is a unique word (cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince).
- 16-19: Compound words formed from dieci- + unit: dieciséis (16), diecisiete (17), dieciocho (18), diecinueve (19). These are written as one word.
- 20: veinte.
When reading phone numbers, each digit is read individually: 3-1-0 = 'tres, uno, cero.'
Useful question: ¿Cuál es tu número de celular? (What's your cellphone number?)
Note on 'uno': Before a masculine noun, 'uno' shortens to 'un': un teléfono (one phone). Before a feminine noun, it becomes 'una': una persona (one person).
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing number or word.
- Mi de celular es tres, uno, cinco.(word for 'number')
- , dos, tres, cuatro, .(counting sequence: ?, 2, 3, 4, ?)
- ¿Cuál es tu número de ?(phone or cellphone)
- , por favor. ¿Cuál es tu número?(a polite request opener)
- Tres más son cinco.(3 + ? = 5)
Grammar Application
Write the result of each math operation in Spanish words.
- Write in Spanish: 3 + 2 = (3 + 2 = ?)
- Write in Spanish: 10 + 5 = (10 + 5 = ?)
- Write in Spanish: 7 + 8 = (7 + 8 = ?)
- Write the number: 14 → (the number after trece)
- Write the number: 20 → (two tens)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- My number is three, one, zero.
- What is your phone number, please?
- The cellphone number is five, four, two.
- Zero, one, two, three, four, five.
- Please, what is your number?
Creative Construction
Write a short dialog where you exchange phone numbers with someone. Use greetings, introductions, and numbers.
Takeaway
Numbers 0-15 are unique words to memorize. 16-19 follow the 'dieci-' pattern. Use '¿Cuál es tu número?' to ask for someone's number.