Why Are English Numbers Important?

Numbers are a fundamental part of English vocabulary. You use them every day in many situations.

• To tell your age.
• To give your phone number.
• To talk about money and prices.
• To say the time or date.

Learning numbers 0 to 100 will help you communicate clearly in basic English conversations.

Numbers 0-10: The Basics

Let’s start with the very first numbers. These are the building blocks for all other numbers.

• 0 – zero
• 1 – one
• 2 – two
• 3 – three
• 4 – four
• 5 – five
• 6 – six
• 7 – seven
• 8 – eight
• 9 – nine
• 10 – ten

Practice saying these numbers aloud. Pay attention to the ‘th’ sound in three.

Numbers 11-20: The “Teens”

After ten, we have a special group of numbers called the “teens.” Many of these end with -teen.

• 11 – eleven
• 12 – twelve
• 13 – thirteen
• 14 – fourteen
• 15 – fifteen
• 16 – sixteen
• 17 – seventeen
• 18 – eighteen
• 19 – nineteen
• 20 – twenty

Notice that eleven and twelve are irregular. For numbers 13 to 19, the stress is usually on the -teen part.

Tens: 20, 30, 40… 100

Now let’s learn the numbers that end in -ty. These are important for counting higher.

• 20 – twenty
• 30 – thirty
• 40 – forty
• 50 – fifty
• 60 – sixty
• 70 – seventy
• 80 – eighty
• 90 – ninety
• 100 – one hundred (or a hundred)

To make numbers like 21 or 35, you combine the “tens” number with a number from 1 to 9, using a hyphen:

• 21 – twenty-one
• 35 – thirty-five
• 99 – ninety-nine

How to Use Numbers in Daily Life?

Here are some common ways to use numbers in English:

• Age: I am twenty years old.
• Phone Numbers: Say each digit separately. My phone number is five-five-five-one-two-three-four.
• Prices: The book costs fifteen dollars.
• Quantity: I have three sisters.
• Time: It’s seven o’clock.

Examples

• I have two cats.
• She is eighteen years old.
• The bus number is forty-two.
• My phone number is six-seven-eight-nine-zero-one-two-three.
• This coffee costs three dollars.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Spanish speakers often make a few common mistakes when learning English numbers:

• Confusing “-teen” and “-ty”: It’s easy to mix up numbers like thirteen and thirty. Remember that “-teen” numbers (13-19) have the stress on the second syllable, while “-ty” numbers (20, 30, etc.) have the stress on the first syllable.
• Saying “zero” for phone numbers: While zero is correct, native speakers often say oh (like the letter ‘O’) for the number 0 in phone numbers. For example, two-oh-five.
• Using commas/periods differently: In English, we use a comma (,) to separate thousands (e.g., 1,000) and a period (.) for decimals (e.g., 1.50). This is often the opposite in Spanish.

Frequently asked questions

How do I say the number 0 in English?

You can say zero. When giving phone numbers or sometimes in sports scores, people often say oh (like the letter ‘O’). For example, My number is five-oh-five…

What is the difference in pronunciation between ‘thirteen’ and ‘thirty’?

The main difference is stress. For thirteen, the stress is on the second syllable: thir-TEEN. For thirty, the stress is on the first syllable: THIR-ty. Also, the vowel sound is slightly different.

How do I say phone numbers in English?

You usually say each digit separately. For example, 555-1234 is five-five-five-one-two-three-four. If there are two identical digits together, you can say double, like double two for 22.

Do I say ‘and’ in numbers like ‘one hundred and one’?

In British English, it is common to say and after hundred (e.g., one hundred and one). In American English, it is usually omitted (e.g., one hundred one). Both are understood, so for Pre-A1, you can use either.

Related lessons

• Numbers