Question 1

Why is veintidós written as one word instead of three?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, numbers from 21 to 29 are combined into a single word. You take the word for twenty, which is veinte, change the final 'e' to an 'i', and attach the single digit. So, veinte + i + dos becomes veintidós. Later on, numbers from 31 upwards are written as three separate words, like treinta y dos (thirty-two).

Question 2

Why does veintidós have a written accent mark on the 'o'?

Accepted Answer

When you say veintidós, the heaviest emphasis is on that final part, dos. Spanish spelling rules normally put the vocal stress on the second-to-last syllable for words that end in an 's'. To break that rule and show that the stress belongs at the very end, an accent mark is added. You will also see this happen with veintitrés (23) and veintiséis (26)!

Question 3

Where is the word for 'I' in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

The word for 'I' is yo, but it is missing here because Spanish usually drops subject pronouns. The verb tengo already has a specific ending that means 'I have'. You would only say yo tengo if you wanted to strongly emphasize that you have the money, perhaps in contrast to someone else who doesn't.

Question 4

Does the word en always mean 'in'?

Accepted Answer

Not always! The word en is a very common preposition used for locations, and it translates to both 'in' (inside something, like en el banco) and 'on' (on top of something). You just rely on the context of the sentence to know which English translation makes the most sense.

Tengo veintidós euros en el banco.

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