Numerals occur in four forms: cardinalswhich count (‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’),
ordinalswhich refer to sequence (‘first’, ‘second’, ‘third’), fractionswhich
specify parts of a whole (‘half’, ‘two thirds’), and collectiveswhich specify
groups (‘a couple’, ‘a dozen’).Cardinal numerals
These are illustrated in Table 23.1.Spanish cardinals are invariable when used merely as numbers. However,
when used to quantify nouns some of them adopt different forms, as
described in 23.1.1 to 23.1.4.
Notes: The writing and speaking of numerals.
1 With the exception of Mexico which follows UK and US practice, millions and
thousands are indicated by a full stop (or period) as in Table 23.1, and decimals
by a comma: 3,2(tres coma dos) ‘3.2’ (three point two).
2 In a reversal of English usage, Spanish requires y‘and’ onlybetween tens and
units, and not after hundreds and thousands: cincuenta y nueve‘fifty nine’, but
doscientos setenta y siete‘two hundred and seventy seven’, mil dos‘one thou-
sand and two’. However, although strictly speaking not the correct form, mil y
uno/ais widely encountered: dos mil y un pesos ‘2,001 pesos’, mil y una líneas
‘a 1,001 lines’.
3 Telephone numbers are read (and often written) in pairs. If there is an uneven
number of digits, the first group is often read as hundreds, or the first digit as a
single number: 62–49–00 sesenta y dos, cuarenta y nueve, cero cero, 194–26–06
ciento noventa y cuatro, veintiséis, cero seisor uno, noventa y cuatro, veintiséis,
cero seis.
4 Apart from uno/anumerals are plural, therefore the question ¿Cuánto es?‘How
much is it?’ would receive a reply such as Son veinte euros‘It’s 20 euros’.23.1