To count from 16 to 29 in Spanish, you combine numbers into a single word. Starting at 31, however, you will use separate words.
Numbers 16 to 19
Numbers 16 through 19 are formed by combining diez y (ten and) with another number to make a single word starting with dieci-. Notice that dieciséis gets an accent mark.
| Number | Spanish |
|---|---|
| 16 | dieciséis |
| 17 | diecisiete |
| 18 | dieciocho |
| 19 | diecinueve |
| There are sixteen dogs and seventeen cats here. | Hay dieciséis perros y diecisiete gatos aquí. |
| I have eighteen apples and nineteen books. | Tengo dieciocho manzanas y diecinueve libros. |
Numbers 20 to 29
The number for 20 is veinte.
Numbers 21 through 29 are formed by changing the final -e of veinte to -i- and attaching the next number to make a single word (veinti-). Note the accent marks on veintidós, veintitrés, and veintiséis.
| Number | Spanish | Number | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | veinte | 25 | veinticinco |
| 21 | veintiuno | 26 | veintiséis |
| 22 | veintidós | 27 | veintisiete |
| 23 | veintitrés | 28 | veintiocho |
| 24 | veinticuatro | 29 | veintinueve |
Just like uno, the number veintiuno changes to match the gender of the noun it counts. It becomes veintiún before a masculine noun and veintiuna before a feminine noun. It stays veintiuno when replacing a noun entirely.
| I buy twenty-one gifts and twenty-three toys. | Compro veintiún regalos y veintitrés juguetes. |
| I have twenty dollars and he has twenty-one. | Tengo veinte dólares y él tiene veintiuno. |
| There are twenty-two cars and twenty-three bicycles in the park. | Hay veintidós carros y veintitrés bicicletas en el parque. |
| We are ready in twenty-five minutes. | Estamos listos en veinticinco minutos. |
Numbers 30 and 31
The number 30 is treinta.
Starting with 31, numbers are written as three separate words joined by y (and). For example, 31 is treinta y uno. The same gender rules apply here: you would say treinta y un dólares (thirty-one dollars) or treinta y una mesas (thirty-one tables).
| I have thirty questions. | Tengo treinta preguntas. |
| I am thirty years old and my brother is thirty-one. | Tengo treinta años y mi hermano tiene treinta y uno. |