Numbers, Dates and Time

This section contains everything you need to know about numbers in Spanish. Learn useful everyday phrases like how to ask for the time, how to say the date and how to order a specific amount of food.

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers (números cardinales) are used to refer to quantities. We use them with countable nouns to answer the question of how many.

Examples:
1 – uno
2 – dos
3 – tres

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers (números ordinales) are used to place things in order or in a ranking.

Examples:
el primer piso
la segunda calle
el tercer intento

Fractions

Fractions (fracciones) refer to parts of a whole. They are used in mathematics and in more everyday contexts such as recipes.

Examples:
½ litro de leche
¾ de kilo de harina

Time

In Spanish there are a few different ways to tell the time.

Examples:
7:40 → ocho menos veinte (Spain)
→ veinte para las ocho (Latin America)

Dates

Learn how to say dates and years in Spanish.

Examples:
15 julio 1996
30 noviembre 2008