Introduction
Learning numbers, dates, and time is one of the most practical first steps when studying Spanish. These basics help you read prices, tell someone when you are free, understand schedules, and fill out simple forms. This guide gives clear rules, useful vocabulary, and realistic beginner examples in Latin American Spanish to build confidence quickly.
Why numbers, dates, and time matter
Numbers, dates, and time are everywhere: menus, bus timetables, appointment forms, receipts, and messages. Mastering them lets you handle everyday situations independently and reduces misunderstandings. Focus on pronunciation, common patterns, and a handful of key phrases that cover most real-life situations.
Basic cardinal numbers (0–20)
Start with the first twenty numbers because they appear in phone numbers, prices, and ages.
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
Fast patterns: tens and hundreds
Once you know tens, you can build larger numbers easily.
30 treinta
40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta
60 sesenta
70 setenta
80 ochenta
90 noventa
100 cien (or ciento for 101–199)
Combine tens and units with y for 31–99 where appropriate: treinta y uno, cuarenta y cinco.
Common mistakes with teen and compound numbers
Tip: Beginners often forget the accent in dieciséis. The correct form is dieciséis. Also, do not use y between 16–19 and 21–29 compounds when they are single words: diecisiete, veintiuno.
Ordinal numbers: basics for dates and order
Ordinals show order: first, second, third. You will use them for dates (first of the month) and for indicating floors, rankings, or instructions.
1st primero / primera
2nd segundo / segunda
3rd tercero / tercera
4th cuarto / cuarta
5th quinto / quinta
6th sexto / sexta
Use gender to match the noun: el segundo piso, la segunda vez. For dates, many speakers simply use cardinal numbers: el cinco de mayo.
How to say ages and prices
To say someone is a certain age use tener + number + años. For prices use the currency name after the number.
Examples:
¿Cuántos años tienes? Tengo veinticinco años.
¿Cuánto cuesta? Cuesta cincuenta pesos.
Common mistake: Do not use ser for age. Use tener: not soy treinta, but tengo treinta años.
Days, months, and date formats
Dates in Spanish are usually day + de + month + de + year. Months are not capitalized in Spanish.
Months:
enero, febrero, marzo, abril, mayo, junio, julio, agosto, septiembre, octubre, noviembre, diciembre
Examples:
Hoy es 3 de marzo de 2026.
Mi cumpleaños es el 12 de julio.
Note: For the first day of a month you can say el primero de mayo or colloquially el uno de mayo, though primero is common in formal contexts.
Days of the week and common phrases
Days are useful for planning and schedules.
lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, domingo
Useful phrases:
¿Qué día es hoy? Hoy es viernes.
La cita es el martes a las diez.
Tip: If you write dates on forms, many Latin American countries use day/month/year. Check the form if unsure.
Time: telling time with formal and casual phrases
There are two common ways to tell time: the 12-hour (with the words morning, afternoon, evening) and the 24-hour format (common on schedules). Learn both.
Basic time vocabulary
hora hour
en punto exactly on the hour
y and (used to add minutes)
menos minus (used to subtract minutes until the next hour)
cuarto quarter (15 minutes)
media half (30 minutes)
mañana morning, tarde afternoon, noche night
How to say the time
For minutes from :01 to :30 say hour + y + minutes: es la una y diez, son las tres y veinte.
For minutes after :30 you can subtract from the next hour: son las cuatro menos diez (3:50).
Special forms:
1:00 — Es la una en punto.
2:15 — Son las dos y cuarto.
3:30 — Son las tres y media.
7:45 — Son las ocho menos cuarto.
AM/PM and 24-hour time
To clarify morning or evening you can add de la mañana, de la tarde, or de la noche.
Examples:
La clase es a las nueve de la mañana.
La película empieza a las ocho de la noche.
On timetables you may see 24-hour time: 18:30 means dieciocho treinta or more commonly dieciocho treinta on reading timetables. Beginners can practice converting 24-hour times to the 12-hour phrases above.
Common real-world examples and short dialogues
Practice with realistic short exchanges you might hear or use.
At a coffee shop:
Cliente: ¿Cuánto cuesta un café?
Barista: Dos con cincuenta pesos.
Asking for an appointment:
Cliente: ¿Tiene una cita el jueves?
Recepcionista: Sí, a las tres de la tarde.
On a bus schedule:
Salida: 07:15
Llegada: 08:40
Phone message:
Dejó un mensaje: Llámame al 555-1234.
Practical tips for listening and speaking
Tip: Native speakers often link numbers in fast speech. Listen for connected sounds: veintidós and veintipico can sound like one word. Learning the written form along with the sound helps recognition.
Tip: When giving your phone number, say digits clearly: cinco, cinco, cinco, uno, dos, tres, cuatro. For clarity, you can group digits: cinco cincuenta y cinco, uno veintitrés cuarenta is not standard; better to say digits in groups of two or three depending on local habit.
Practical exercises for beginners
Practice makes these patterns automatic. Try these simple exercises with a study partner or by recording yourself.
Exercise 1: Read receipts aloud. Identify numbers for price, date, and time.
Exercise 2: Write five appointments with different times and say them aloud: el 5 de mayo a las diez de la mañana, el 12 de junio a las dos de la tarde, etc.
Exercise 3: Convert five 24-hour times into spoken 12-hour phrases with de la mañana/tarde/noche.
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake: Using ser for age. Remember to use tener: Tengo veinte años.
Mistake: Forgetting gender for ordinal numbers when they modify nouns. Say la primera vez, el primer día.
Mistake: Mixing month capitalization with English. In Spanish months are lowercase: junio, not Junio.
Useful vocabulary list for quick reference
cero, uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve
diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve
veinte, treinta, cuarenta, cincuenta, sesenta, setenta, ochenta, noventa, cien
lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, domingo
enero, febrero, marzo, abril, mayo, junio, julio, agosto, septiembre, octubre, noviembre, diciembre
hora, minuto, segundo, en punto, cuarto, media, menos, y, de la mañana, de la tarde, de la noche
Conclusion
Numbers, dates, and time are foundational Spanish skills that unlock many everyday interactions. Focus on learning core vocabulary, practice common phrases, and use realistic exercises such as reading receipts, telling time for appointments, and converting 24-hour schedules. With targeted practice you will quickly understand menus, timetables, and simple conversations.
