Question 1

Why is 900 spelled novecientos instead of "nuevecientos"?

Accepted Answer

Most hundreds in Spanish are formed by just combining the number with -cientos (like doscientos or trescientos). However, 900 is slightly irregular. It drops the "u" from nueve and becomes novecientos. Two other common irregulars to watch out for in the hundreds are 500 (quinientos) and 700 (setecientos).

Question 2

How do numbers like 55 work in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

For numbers from 31 to 99, you separate the "tens" and the "ones" with the word y (and). So, 55 is literally "fifty and five" (cincuenta y cinco). Remember that numbers from 21 to 29 are written as a single combined word (like veinticinco), but starting at 31, they split into three separate words!

Question 3

Why is the verb cuesta if the dictionary says the word for "to cost" is "costar"?

Accepted Answer

The verb costar has a "stem change" in the present tense. When you conjugate it for most subjects, the o in the middle changes to ue. Since el carro is singular (it acts as "it"), we use the matching singular form, which gives us cuesta.

Question 4

Why is an "e" added to make dólares plural instead of just saying "dólars"?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, if a noun ends in a vowel, you usually just add -s to make it plural (like changing carro to carros). But if a noun ends in a consonant—like the "r" in dólar—you must add -es to make it plural. That is why it becomes dólares.

El carro cuesta novecientos cincuenta y cinco dólares.

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