learning spanish lesson 2 step 3

Numbers 11 - 30

As in the previous lesson, you'll learn best by speaking the numbers out aloud. Read through them several times, until you feel confident enough to write them down without looking. The numbers 11-20 require memorization, but you'll notice a pattern forming with the numbers 21-29. 

The pattern is that the numbers 20 start with veinti, followed by the number 1-9.  For example, twenty five is veinticinco.

When you think you've learnt them, write the numbers 11-30 down on a piece of paper, and compare results. Remember too the accents on ventidós and veintitrés.

11	once	21	veintiuno
12	doce	22	veintidós
13	trece	23	veintitrés
14	catorce	24	veinticuatro
15	quince	25	veinticinco
16	dieciséis	26	veintiséis
17	diecisiete	27	veintisiete
18	dieciocho	28	veintiocho
19	diecinueve	29	veintinueve
20	veinte	30	treinta

Okay. Let's repeat the numbers 10-20. Say it aloud.

diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve, veinte 

Now, count backwards with me.

vente, diecinueve, dieciocho, dicisiete, dieciséis, quince, catorce, trece, doce, once, diez

Numbers 30-100

Once you're sure about the numbers 1-30, the rest becomes easy. You only need to remember the numbers 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100, and combine it with the numbers 1-9. We say forty-five in English, and cuarenta y cinco in Spanish. Pretty simple isn't it!

30	treinta	70	setenta
40	cuarenta	80	ochenta
50	cincuenta	90	noventa
60	sesenta	100	cien

So, the number sesenta y nueve is 60 + 9=69. This is very straightforward, so you don't need to memorize every digit from 1-100.