Introduction
Learning how to say prices in Spanish is a practical skill you can use in stores, markets, menus, and online shopping. This beginner-friendly guide explains numbers, currency words, basic sentence patterns, and useful phrases in Latin American Spanish so you can understand and say prices with confidence.
- Why learning prices matters
- Basic numbers for prices
- Currency words and common abbreviations
- Talking about cents and decimals
- Common phrases to ask or tell prices
- Reading prices on tags and menus
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Role-play examples for beginners
- Practice exercises
- Practical tips for travelers and shoppers
- Conclusion
Why learning prices matters
Knowing how to say prices lets you read tags, ask for costs, bargain politely, and complete simple transactions. Prices often appear on menus, receipts, and signs, so recognizing numbers and currency words helps you in real situations like buying groceries or paying for a taxi.
Basic numbers for prices
Start with the numbers most commonly used in prices. Here are essentials from 0 to 100 that you will see often.
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
21 veintiuno
22 veintidós
23 veintitrés
30 treinta
40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta
60 sesenta
70 setenta
80 ochenta
90 noventa
100 cien
Numbers after 30
From 31 to 99, use tens plus y plus units: treinta y uno, cuarenta y cinco, noventa y nueve. For 100 and above, beginners can use ciento, doscientos, etc., but most everyday prices for small purchases are under 100.
Currency words and common abbreviations
Different countries use different currencies. For general Latin American Spanish, the common words and abbreviations are useful to recognize.
peso (singular) / pesos (plural) — used in many countries
dólar / dólares — US dollars
sol / soles — Peru
colón / colones — Costa Rica, El Salvador (historical usage differs)
Note common abbreviations: USD, MXN, ARS, but on receipts you often see the currency symbol like $ or US$ or S/.
How to say currency amounts
Basic pattern: number + currency. Put the number first, then the currency word. For amounts with cents use con and the cents as smaller numbers.
Examples:
12 pesos — doce pesos
1 peso — un peso
5 dólares — cinco dólares
3.50 (three fifty) — tres con cincuenta
Talking about cents and decimals
When prices include cents, Spanish has a few common ways to say them. Use con or say the cents as a fraction of the main currency.
Example formats:
5.25 — cinco con veinticinco
5.25 (formal on receipts) — cinco pesos con veinticinco centavos
0.99 — cero con noventa y nueve
If you say prices quickly, people often drop centavos and just say the cents: cinco con veinticinco.
Using centavo, céntimo, and cent
Many countries use centavo or centavo/centavo for the fractional unit. In Latin American Spanish, centavo is common. On menus or small signs you might see ¢ or the word centavos. Example: diez pesos con cincuenta centavos.
Common phrases to ask or tell prices
Here are practical phrases for everyday situations. Use polite language for shops and markets.
How much is this? — ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?
How much are they? (plural) — ¿Cuánto cuestan?
How much does it cost? — ¿Cuánto sale?
It costs 20 pesos. — Cuesta veinte pesos.
They cost 10 dollars each. — Cuestan diez dólares cada uno.
Do you accept cards? — ¿Aceptan tarjetas?
Can I pay with cash? — ¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?
Polite additions
To be polite add por favor and to thank use gracias. Example: ¿Cuánto cuesta esto, por favor? Gracias.
Reading prices on tags and menus
Price tags and menus often show numbers with currency symbols. Learn to interpret the layout.
Examples of what you might see:
Producto A $45 — means 45 (currency implicit, often pesos or dollars depending on location)
Jugo S/ 6.50 — read as seis con cincuenta or seis soles con cincuenta centavos (Peru example)
Pan — 3.00 — typically read as tres pesos or tres dólares depending on context. Always check the currency symbol or ask.
Abbreviations and shorthand
Receipts often show 45.00 without the word for currency. When speaking, add the currency: cuarenta y cinco pesos. In informal speech some people say the number alone if the currency is clear from context: ¿Cuánto? — Cuarenta y cinco.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Common mistake 1: Using uno instead of un before masculine nouns. Say un peso, not uno peso.
Common mistake 2: Forgetting plural for currencies. Say diez pesos, not diez peso.
Common mistake 3: Saying con incorrectly. For decimals say cinco con cincuenta, not cinco punto cincuenta in casual speech. Point is used in some contexts but con is more natural in speech.
Common mistake 4: Confusing the tens format. Remember treinta y uno, not treinta y uno separated awkwardly.
Quick correction tips
Always check the noun gender: un peso, una moneda (a coin). Use plural for quantities above one: dos pesos, tres dólares. When in doubt, mimic local signs and ask a vendor politely.
Role-play examples for beginners
Short dialogues you can practice aloud. These are realistic and helpful for stores or markets.
Dialogue 1
Client: ¿Cuánto cuesta esta camiseta?
Vendedor: Cuesta treinta y cinco pesos.
Client: ¿Acepta tarjeta?
Vendedor: Sí, aceptamos tarjeta.
Dialogue 2
Client: ¿Cuánto salen las frutas?
Vendedor: Las manzanas están a tres pesos la libra.
Client: Perfecto, me da dos libras, por favor.
Dialogue 3
Client: ¿Cuánto es con el descuento?
Vendedor: Son cuarenta pesos con el descuento incluido.
Notes on plural and measurements
When a unit of measure appears, place it after the price phrase: tres pesos la libra, cinco dólares el kilo, veinte pesos la pieza. Pay attention to singular vs plural for units: una libra, dos libras.
Practice exercises
Fill-in and speak aloud exercises to build confidence.
Exercise 1: Read these tags and say them out loud with currency.
12.50 — doce con cincuenta
29 — veintinueve
7.99 — siete con noventa y nueve
Exercise 2: Turn questions into full answers.
¿Cuánto cuesta el pan? — Cuesta tres pesos.
¿Cuánto cuestan los zapatos? — Cuestan cincuenta dólares.
Mini quiz answers
12.50 spoken fully: doce pesos con cincuenta centavos.
29 spoken fully: veintinueve pesos.
7.99 spoken fully: siete pesos con noventa y nueve centavos.
Practical tips for travelers and shoppers
Tip 1: Listen for numbers in conversation and on signs; context usually gives the currency.
Tip 2: Learn how to ask about payment methods: ¿Aceptan tarjeta?, ¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?.
Tip 3: When prices are in another currency, ask for the local equivalent: ¿Cuánto es en pesos? or ¿Cuál es el precio en dólares?
Tip 4: Practice saying common price ranges out loud: menos de diez pesos, entre veinte y treinta, más de cincuenta.
Key beginner takeaways
Numbers 0-100 are essential. Memorize tens and the pattern for 31-99 using y.
Use number + currency. For cents use con plus the cent amount or add centavos.
Be polite. Use por favor and gracias when asking prices.
Conclusion
Mastering prices in Spanish takes focused practice on numbers, currency words, and common phrases. With the simple patterns and dialogues here, you can read tags, ask for prices, and complete basic transactions confidently in a Latin American Spanish context. Practice aloud with real signs or menus to build fluency.
