Numbers and counting

Lesson Overview: Numbers and Counting in Spanish

This lesson covers the fundamental Spanish cardinal numbers and basic math operations essential for everyday communication. You'll learn to count from the basics to large numbers such as hundreds, thousands, and millions. It also introduces crucial verbs related to arithmetic like contar (to count), sumar (to add), and restar (to subtract).

Basic Cardinal Numbers

Start with simple numbers and common expressions you can use in different contexts, for example:

• Veinte - twenty
• Cincuenta - fifty
• Siete - seven
• Noventa y nueve - ninety-nine

Large Numbers: Hundreds, Thousands, and Millions

Learn how to form larger numbers by combining hundreds like cien (one hundred), thousands such as mil, and millions millón. This enables you to talk about quantities relevant to shopping, work, and daily life.

Math Operation Verbs

Understand important verbs related to math in Spanish:

• Contar - to count
• Sumar - to add
• Restar - to subtract

Example sentences you might encounter include:

• Yo cuento hasta cincuenta en español para practicar. (I count up to fifty in Spanish to practice.)
• Ellos restan veinte menos cinco para verificar el resultado. (They subtract twenty minus five to check the result.)

Practice Contexts

The lesson offers practical dialogues tailored for real-life situations such as buying fruit at the grocery store, shopping for clothes, and counting objects at work. These dialogues help you naturally use numbers in context.

Key Differences Between English and Spanish Numbers & Phrases

Spanish numbers are generally structured similarly to English but use conjunctions like y (and) between tens and units, for example, treinta y cinco (thirty-five). Unlike English, Spanish number words are not capitalized unless starting a sentence.

Useful words and phrases:

• ¿Cuántos? — How many? Used to ask about quantities.
• Una docena — a dozen
• Clase — class (contextual for lessons or groups).

Understanding verb conjugation is critical in Spanish, especially for verbs like contar. For example, yo cuento means “I count,” while tú cuentas is “you count.” These forms change depending on the subject.