Mangia or Mangiare? Use ‘Eat’ in Italian Correctly

No other verb is as crucial as mangiare (to eat) in Italy. From saying…

Once you’ve learned the English alphabet, you can start learning numbers in English next. Arabic numerals (like 1, 2, 3) are used all over the world regardless of how the rest of the language is written. However, pronouncing and counting numbers is unique to each language. 

Numbers in English are most similar to other Germanic languages (like numbers in German). Luckily, once you know the words for the first 10 numbers, the rest will be easy to memorize. 

Use the charts and examples (complete with audio) in this guide to learn how to read, pronounce, and use numbers in English!

Numbers in English from 0-10 

In English, numbers are counted starting at one. The single-digit numbers (1-9) are the most important ones to memorize because you’ll use the same words as a part of bigger numbers later.

When talking about quantity, one is singular. That means you’ll use is and other singular verb conjugations when there’s one of something.

• How many fish are there?
  
  • There is one fish.
    

All other numbers are plural. Use are and other plural verb conjugations for quantities other than one.

• How many keys are there?
  
  • There are four keys.
    

Numbers in English from 11-19 

Numbers 13-19 end in “teen” and start with the name of the single-digit number (or something close to it). Eleven and twelve are the special ones you’ll need to memorize.

You’ll probably use this range of numbers in ages a lot. If someone is very young (perhaps less than two years old), their age might be counted in months instead of years. Make sure you pay attention to the English pronouns to know how to conjugate the verb.

• How old are you?
  
  • I’m nineteen years old.
    

• How old is he?
  
  • He is eighteen months old.
    

Numbers in English from 20-29 

English numbers follow a simple pattern starting with 20. The multiples of ten (numbers that end in 0) will have their own name. The numbers ending in 1-9 in that set (21-29 in this chart) will use the single-digit number names. All you need to do is add the two together:

• twenty (20) + three (3) = twenty-three (23)

Did you notice the dash (hyphen) between the two words in each number? When counting two-digit numbers that combine two words, you need to use a hyphen instead of a space.

• twenty cups
  

• twenty-one cups
  

• twenty-two cups
  

Numbers in English from 30-99 

Counting numbers 30-99 uses the same pattern as 20-99. Easy! The only difference is that each multiple of ten (30, 40, etc.) has its own name. However, they all end in -ty.

• thirty (30) + six (6) = thirty-six (36)
• forty (40) + nine (9) = forty-nine (49)
• ninety (90) + one (1) = ninety-one (91)

This range is where you’ll start using numbers for a variety of purposes, including telling time in English. Memorize the name of each multiple of 10 so you can easily understand the entire number.

• The airplane arrives at two thirty a.m.
  

• This costs sixty-three euros.
  

• Your seat is number eighty-five.
  

• Your room is number seventy-four.
  

Numbers in English 100 and above 

Hundreds (100s) and thousands (1,000s) in English are straightforward. They combine the single digit numbers (1-9) with hundred (100) or thousand (1,000). Instead of adding them, you multiply them to get the new number.

• one (1) x hundred (100) = one hundred (100)
• five (5) x hundred (100) = five hundred (500)
• three (3) x thousand (1,000) = three thousand (3,000)

Large numbers like these are often used when talking about money or years.

• These socks cost six hundred yen.
  

When combining hundreds with one- or two-digit numbers, add the number to the end. You can include an and after the hundred if you like.

• This television costs one hundred twenty euros.
  
  • This television costs one hundred and twenty euros.

How to count thousands in English

There are two special things to remember about thousands in English. First, you should always use a comma to separate the thousands from the lower digits. 

• 6700 = 6,700

You might also hear people count thousands as hundreds. If the number is less than ten thousand (10,000), you can include the thousand in the hundreds as a two-digit number. For example, you could say 6,700 two ways:

• six (6) x thousand (1,000) + seven (7) x hundred (100) = six thousand seven hundred (6,700)
• sixty-seven (67) x hundred (100) = sixty seven hundred

In context, it would look like this:

• This car costs six thousand seven hundred dollars.
  
  • This car costs sixty-seven hundred dollars.

Ordinal numbers in English

An ordinal number is one that explains where a number is in order compared to other numbers. In English, you can write this in two ways:

• Spelled out as a word: first, second, third
• Combining the number plus a suffix: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Most ordinal numbers in English end in -th, but numbers that end in 1, 2, or 3 have a unique ender (except for 11, 12, and 13, which end in -th).

You’ll use these numbers most often when talking about dates on a calendar.

Ordinal numbers can be multiple parts of speech in English. If the number goes before a noun, it’s usually an adjective. You’ll also need to use one of the articles in English (usually the).

• The second person in line has blond hair.
  

• Where is the restroom?
  
  • It is the first door on the right.
    

Ordinal numbers can also be English adverbs. This is especially true when talking about the order you’re doing something.

• First, measure this with a ruler.
  
  • Next, use a hammer and nails.
    

When talking about dates, you can either say “[month] [day]”, or you can say “[day] of [month].”

• What is the date today?
  
  • The date is July fourteenth.
    

  • The date is the fourteenth of July.

Ordinal vs. cardinal numbers in English

An ordinal number is one that explains where a number is within a set of numbers, but cardinal numbers are for counting. When you think of a random number, you’re probably thinking of a cardinal number.

• You weigh almost fifty-five pounds!
  

• It’s sixteen feet long by thirteen feet wide.
  

When should you spell out a number in English?

You can write numbers by spelling them out or with Arabic numbers in English, but sometimes using one is more correct than the other. 

You should generally write out a number in these situations:

• Cardinal numbers less than 10 when using the number in a sentence: I have one sister.
• Ordinal numbers less than 10: She’s in second grade.
• Numbers at the beginning of a sentence: Seventy-one people attended.
• Numbers in phrases or expressions: one in a million
• Time when using o’clock: one o’clock
• Units place: ones, hundreds, thousands

You should generally write a number with Arabic numerals in these situations:

• Numbers 10 or greater: There are 20 cars in front of my house.
• Addresses: 221B Baker Street
• Academic course numbers: English 101
• License numbers: STARK4
• Mathematics: 1 + 1 = 2
• Complete dates with day, month, and year: 6/4/2025
• Years: 1981 or the 1920s
• Weather: 71 degrees
• Money: $10 bill
• Scores: 7 points
• Phone numbers: 867-5309

English has several sets of rules about the “right” way to use numbers. If you’re a student or an author, your teacher or editor might want you to follow a particular stylebook’s number rules, such as AP Style or The Chicago Manual of Style.

You can count on Rosetta Stone

Even if the counting system is straightforward, there’s still a lot to learn. That’s why practice is the fastest way to learn your numbers in English. If you found the examples in this guide useful, you’ll love the Rosetta Stone app. The course introduces new vocabulary (including numbers!) and grammar to you naturally, all audio is recorded by native speakers, and you’ll have a handy phrasebook for the essential things you need to know. If you want to learn how to speak English like a native, Rosetta Stone is the one-stop shop you need.

Recommended Story For You :

Online language courses designed by language lovers crafted for you.

Fun Online Spanish Group Classes

Unlock the Power of Synergy Spanish

Practical Hebrew- as a proven way to understand and speak Hebrew as quickly as possible.

English Made Easy: Practice Your Way to Fluency with Confidence and Fun

Listen and Speak English

Master the Arabic Alphabet in No Time!