Introduction
Learning how to use Spanish numbers for age, time, and prices is one of the most practical skills for beginners. This guide explains the essential number words, common sentence patterns, and realistic examples you will encounter in everyday situations like telling your age, reading the clock, or buying something at a store.
Basic Spanish numbers you need to know
Start with the numbers 0–20, then tens up to 100, and a few higher numbers. Memorizing these makes age, time, and price phrases much easier.
0 cero
1 uno
2 dos
3 tres
4 cuatro
5 cinco
6 seis
7 siete
8 ocho
9 nueve
10 diez
11 once
12 doce
13 trece
14 catorce
15 quince
16 dieciséis
17 diecisiete
18 dieciocho
19 diecinueve
20 veinte
30 treinta
40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta
60 sesenta
70 setenta
80 ochenta
90 noventa
100 cien / ciento
1000 mil
How to say ages in Spanish
To say how old someone is, use the verb tener plus the number and the word años. Spanish does not use the verb to be for age the way English does.
Structure: Tener + number + años
Example: Tengo 25 años.
Translation: I am 25 years old.
Note that uno becomes un before a masculine noun and una before a feminine noun, but with años we use un only when counting and in compound numbers: Tengo veintiún años is common in speech, although Tengo veintidós años is unchanged because twenty-two is not an exception.
Examples beginners will hear or say:
¿Cuántos años tienes?
Tengo 30 años.
Mi hija tiene 7 años.
Mi abuelo tiene 82 años.
Common mistakes:
Do not say Soy 20 años. Instead say Tengo 20 años.
Avoid saying Tengo veinte cuando asked about age without adding años in casual conversation; it is clearer to include años.
Pronunciation tip for ages
When you say numbers like dieciséis or veintiún, practice the natural contractions: dieciséis (dee-eh-see-SAYS), veinte y uno often becomes veintiuno (vein-tee-OO-no) in fast speech.
Telling time with Spanish numbers
There are two common ways to tell time in Spanish: the 12-hour clock with de la mañana, de la tarde, de la noche, and the 24-hour clock often used for schedules. Beginners should learn the basics of the 12-hour system first.
Basic time vocabulary
hora hour
minuto minute
y and (used to add minutes)
menos minus (used to subtract minutes from the next hour)
en punto exactly
mediodía noon
medianoche midnight
Common patterns
For exact hours: Es la una. / Son las dos.
Structure: Es la/ Son las + hour + (optionally) en punto
Examples:
Es la una.
Son las tres.
Es la una en punto.
To add minutes: Son las + hour + y + minutes
Examples:
Son las cuatro y diez. (4:10)
Son las nueve y media. (9:30) Note that media means half past
To subtract minutes: Son las + next hour + menos + minutes
Examples:
Son las cinco menos diez. (4:50)
Es la una menos cuarto. (12:45) Note that cuarto means a quarter (15 minutes)
Time of day markers
Use de la mañana for morning (roughly 6:00–12:00), de la tarde for afternoon (12:00–7:00 depending on region), and de la noche for night. For appointments you may also see the 24-hour clock: 14:00 = catorce horas or simply las 14:00 on a schedule.
Examples a beginner might encounter:
La clase es a las 8 de la mañana.
La tienda abre a las 10:00.
La película empieza a las 19:30. (Use 19:30 on timetables or say Son las siete y treinta de la noche.)
Common mistakes:
Do not mix Es la una with Son las. Use Es la only for 1 o’clock.
When using menos, make sure the ‘next hour’ is stated: Son las cinco menos veinte means 4:40, not 5:20.
Using numbers for prices and shopping
Prices in Spanish use the currency name after the number or a symbol before the number, depending on context. In Latin America you will commonly hear peso, dólar, sol, peso mexicano, etc., but learners can practice the pattern with a generic currency like dólares or pesos.
Basic patterns for prices
Structure 1: Number + currency
Example: Cuesta 15 pesos.
Structure 2 (more formal): El precio es + number + currency
Example: El precio es 120 dólares.
When expressing cents or smaller units, use con + cents
Example: Cuesta 3 con 50. or Cuesta 3.50 dólares. For speech you can say Cuesta tres dólares con cincuenta centavos.
Examples for real situations:
¿Cuánto cuesta este libro?
Cuesta 45 pesos.
Quiero pagar con tarjeta: son 120 dólares con 25 centavos.
El menú dice: Café 2.50.
Counting items and using numbers at the market
To say how many items: Tengo + number + noun or Quisiera + number + noun.
Examples:
Tengo dos manzanas.
Quisiera tres kilos de plátanos.
¿Cuánto quiere? — Un kilogramo, por favor.
When bargaining or reading prices, decimal points may appear as a comma in written Spanish in many countries: 3,50 may mean three and fifty cents. For beginners, always confirm by asking ¿Son tres con cincuenta? to avoid confusion.
Practical phrases and dialogues for beginners
Short exchanges you are likely to use or hear:
At a store
Cliente: ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?
Vendedor: Cuesta 20 pesos.
Cliente: ¿Acepta tarjeta?
Vendedor: Sí, son 20 dólares con 10 centavos.
Asking someone’s age
¿Cuántos años tienes?
Tengo 18 años.
Making plans and telling time
¿A qué hora nos vemos mañana?
Nos vemos a las 7 de la noche.
Beginner tips that help you sound natural
Always include años when talking about age unless context makes it obvious.
Use es la for 1:00 and son las for all other hours.
For prices, practice saying the currency after the number: 50 pesos, not pesos 50.
Use menos to subtract minutes from the next hour when the minutes are between 31 and 59.
Learn common time expressions like media and cuarto to understand half past and quarter past/quarter to.
Common beginner mistakes and quick fixes
Mistake: Saying Soy 25 años. Fix: Say Tengo 25 años.
Mistake: Es las dos. Fix: Say Son las dos.
Mistake: Misreading 3,50 as three thousand fifty. Fix: Ask for clarification: ¿Es tres con cincuenta? or check the currency symbol.
Mistake: Using uno instead of un before a masculine noun (veintiún años). Fix: Use un or change the number form correctly: Tengo veintiún años.
Mini practice exercises
Translate to Spanish:
I am 29 years old. — Tengo 29 años.
The class is at 2:15 PM. — La clase es a las dos y cuarto de la tarde.
How much does the coffee cost? — ¿Cuánto cuesta el café?
It costs 2 dollars and 75 cents. — Cuesta dos dólares con setenta y cinco centavos.
Fill in with the correct form:
________ las tres. (for 3:00) — Son las tres.
Tengo ________ años. (for 16) — Tengo dieciséis años.
Quisiera ________ kilos de arroz. (for 2) — Quisiera dos kilos de arroz.
Conclusion
Mastering Spanish numbers for age, time, and prices gives you practical tools for everyday conversations. Focus on the common number words, the pattern Tener + años for age, Es la / Son las for time, and Number + currency for prices. With a few useful phrases and awareness of common mistakes, beginners can handle real-life situations like shopping, scheduling, and introducing themselves with confidence.
