Counting in Spanish 1 to 20 | Say Them Like A Local

Spanish 1–20 uses a few core words, then repeats patterns, so you can say and recognize numbers with confidence.

Counting in Spanish feels friendly once you know what to listen for. You’ll learn a small set of number words, then you’ll spot repeating sounds and spellings that keep showing up. That’s the whole win here: fewer things to memorize, more things you can predict.

This page gives you the full 1–20 list, clear pronunciation cues you can use right away, and quick practice that fits into real life. You’ll see where beginners slip up, what native speakers tend to shorten, and how to build speed without sounding stiff.

Counting In Spanish 1 To 20 With Pronunciation Cues

Spanish spelling is steady. Most letters behave the same way most of the time, so you can get solid pronunciation with a few rules.

Sound Rules That Pay Off

Use these as your “set it and forget it” basics:

• Vowels stay pure. A, E, I, O, U don’t slide around like English vowels often do. Say them clean and short.
• H is silent. If you see an H, skip it.
• LL and Y often sound like “y” or a soft “j,” depending on region. For counting 1–20, you’ll mainly meet Y later (21+), so don’t stress it yet.
• Stress is predictable. If a word ends in a vowel, N, or S, stress usually lands on the second-to-last syllable. If it ends in another consonant, stress usually lands on the last syllable. Accent marks override the default.

A Quick Note On Accent Marks In 16 And 22+

In 1–20, you’ll meet dieciséis (16). The accent mark tells you where the stress goes. That’s why it doesn’t sound like “dee-eh-see-SESS.” It leans on the last syllable: dyeh-see-SAYS.

If you’re curious about how Spanish handles numeral spelling across the language, the RAE’s numerals guidance lays out standard writing rules used in formal Spanish.

How To Practice Pronunciation Without Audio

No audio? You can still practice well. Use this three-step loop:

1. Read the word slowly and tap syllables with your finger.
2. Say it once at half speed, clean vowels, no trailing “uh” sound at the end.
3. Say it again at normal speed, with one smooth breath.

That loop builds consistency. Consistency builds speed.

Spanish Numbers 1 To 20 In Plain Words

Here’s the full set. Learn the anchors first, then the pattern groups.

Anchor Numbers You’ll Use Constantly

These are the ones you’ll hear all the time and use as building blocks later:

• uno (1)
• dos (2)
• tres (3)
• cinco (5)
• diez (10)
• quince (15)
• veinte (20)

Get those into your mouth first. After that, 11–19 becomes way less scary.

Pattern Group One: 11 To 15 Are Their Own Words

Spanish gives you unique words for 11–15:

• 11 = once
• 12 = doce
• 13 = trece
• 14 = catorce
• 15 = quince

These don’t follow a clean “ten + something” spelling the way English does. Treat them as a mini-pack to memorize.

Pattern Group Two: 16 To 19 Start With “Dieci-”

16–19 combine diez (10) with the next digit. The spellings fuse into one word:

• 16 = dieciséis
• 17 = diecisiete
• 18 = dieciocho
• 19 = diecinueve

You’ll see the same “one word” style later with 21–29, where Spanish uses veinti- forms. The RAE’s usage notes on numerals and spelling choices are collected in its guidance on writing numbers in words or digits.

Number	Spanish	Pronunciation Cue
1	uno	OO-noh
2	dos	dohs
3	tres	tress
4	cuatro	KWAH-troh
5	cinco	SEEN-koh
6	seis	says
7	siete	SYEH-teh
8	ocho	OH-choh
9	nueve	NWEH-veh
10	diez	dyess
11	once	ON-seh
12	doce	DOH-seh
13	trece	TREH-seh
14	catorce	kah-TOR-seh
15	quince	KEEN-seh
16	dieciséis	dyeh-see-SAYS
17	diecisiete	dyeh-see-SYEH-teh
18	dieciocho	dyeh-see-OH-choh
19	diecinueve	dyeh-see-NWEH-veh
20	veinte	BAYN-teh

Small Details That Make You Sound Natural

Spanish learners can say every number correctly and still sound a little “classroom.” These tweaks help your rhythm.

Don’t Over-Stretch The Vowels

English tends to glide vowels. Spanish doesn’t. If you say cinco like “seen-kohh,” it can feel drawn out. Keep it crisp: SEEN-koh.

Keep “R” Light In Tres

In tres, the R is quick. It’s not the heavy English R. If you can tap it lightly, great. If not, don’t freeze. A soft, quick R still lands well.

Uno Changes Before A Noun

When uno sits right before a masculine noun, it often shortens to un. You’ll hear un libro for “one book.” This shows up all over Spanish, not just counting. The RAE’s notes on uno and its shortened forms explain the standard usage patterns.

You might also see number phrases like “número uno” in rankings and sports. Fundéu’s note on writing “los números uno” shows the preferred form in Spanish style writing.

Practice That Fits Into Real Life

Memorizing a list is one thing. Using it is where it sticks. Try these short drills that feel like normal moments.

Drill One: Count Objects You Can See

Pick something near you: pens, books, cups, tabs on your screen. Count up to 10, then restart from 11 to 20. Keep your eyes on the objects. Your brain links the word to a real count, not a blank list.

Drill Two: “Random Jump” Speed Game

Write 1–20 on paper. Point at numbers out of order and say them fast. Aim for smooth speech, not perfect speed. If you stumble, repeat that number three times, then continue.

Drill Three: Two-Number Pairs

Say pairs like a phone rhythm:

• dos, doce
• tres, trece
• cuatro, catorce
• cinco, quince
• seis, dieciséis

This trains your ear to separate similar-looking words.

Drill Four: Micro-Sentences

Use the numbers in short phrases. Keep them plain:

• Tengo veinte. (Context decides the meaning.)
• Son las ocho. (It’s eight o’clock.)
• Quiero dos. (I want two.)
• Hay siete. (There are seven.)

You’re training your mouth to place the number inside a sentence, which is how you’ll use it out in the wild.

Use	Spanish	Meaning
Age	Tengo quince años.	I’m fifteen years old.
Time (exact)	Son las siete.	It’s seven o’clock.
Time (one o’clock)	Es la una.	It’s one o’clock.
Price	Cuesta diez euros.	It costs ten euros.
Quantity	Dame tres, por favor.	Give me three, please.
Order count	Uno, dos, tres…	One, two, three…
Room number	Habitación doce.	Room twelve.
Score	Dos a uno.	Two to one.
Days	Siete días.	Seven days.
Simple math	Diez más cinco.	Ten plus five.

Common Mix-Ups And How To Fix Them

A few numbers trip people up for the same reasons: similar spelling, similar sound, or English habits. Here are the usual suspects.

Seis Vs Siete

seis is one syllable: says. siete has two syllables: SYEH-teh. If you keep the syllable count honest, you won’t blend them.

Doce Vs Trece

Both end in -ce. Say them with clean first syllables: DOH-seh, TREH-seh. If you drag the vowel, they can start sounding alike.

Catorce Vs Cuarenta Later On

You’re only learning up to 20 here, yet catorce (14) can get tangled later with cuarenta (40). A quick habit helps: emphasize the -tor- in catorce and the -ren- in cuarenta when you reach it.

Dieciséis Needs The Accent

If you’re writing Spanish, keep the accent in dieciséis. It signals stress and keeps your spelling aligned with standard rules. If you’re typing on a phone, long-press the vowel to add the accent mark.

A Simple 10-Minute Plan To Lock In 1–20

You don’t need a long study session. Ten minutes done right beats an hour of half-focus.

Minute 1–2: Anchors

Say: uno, dos, tres, cinco, diez, quince, veinte. Repeat twice.

Minute 3–5: 11–15 Pack

Say: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince. Repeat, then count 10–15 straight: diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince.

Minute 6–8: 16–19 Pattern

Say: dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve. Repeat. Then count 15–20 straight.

Minute 9–10: Random Jumps

Pick five random numbers and say them with no pause. If one feels sticky, repeat it three times, then move on.

If you want structured Spanish study beyond numbers, the Instituto Cervantes runs formal learning options through its Aula Virtual de Español (AVE) course portal.

One Last Check: Can You Do These Without Thinking?

Try this quick self-check. If you can say these cleanly, you’re set for daily use of 1–20:

• Count 1–10 with no pauses.
• Say 11–15 in order, then backward.
• Say 16–19, then jump straight to 8, 14, 3, 20, 11.
• Say a short sentence with a number: “Tengo ____ años” or “Dame ____.”

That’s it. Once your mouth can do it, your brain stops translating. You’ll just know the number.