Lesson 3: Numbers 1-20

¡Vamos a contar! (Let's count!)

Welcome to Lesson 3! Numbers are essential in every language. Whether you're shopping, telling your age, giving phone numbers, or ordering food, you'll use numbers constantly. Let's master the basics: 1-20!

Part 1: Numbers 1-10 (Los Números del 1 al 10)

Let's start with the foundation - the first ten numbers.

The First Ten

Pronunciation Tips

• The Z in Spanish: Sounds like "S" in Latin America, like "TH" in Spain
• Latin America: doce = DOH-seh

• Spain: doce = DOH-theh
  (Both are correct!)

• The R: Lightly rolled

• cuatro, tres - tap your tongue once

• Stress: Usually on the second-to-last syllable

• CUA-tro, SIE-te, O-cho

💡 Teacher's Tip: Practice saying 1-10 out loud 10 times. Speed isn't important yet - focus on pronunciation!

Part 2: Numbers 11-15 (Once a Quince)

Numbers 11-15 are unique - they have their own special forms that don't follow a pattern.

The "Teen" Numbers (Part 1)

Pattern Recognition

Notice that 13, 14, and 15 resemble the numbers 3, 4, and 5:
- trece (13) ← tres (3)
- catorce (14) ← cuatro (4)
- quince (15) ← cinco (5)

The pattern isn't perfect, but it helps with memory!

💡 Teacher's Tip: The numbers 11 and 12 ("once" and "doce") are completely unique. Just memorize them through repetition!

Part 3: Numbers 16-19 (Dieciséis a Diecinueve)

Here's where a clear pattern emerges! Numbers 16-19 combine "diez" (10) with the ones digit.

The Pattern: diez + y + number

• diez (10) + y (and) + seis (6) = dieciséis (16)

But they're written as ONE WORD with spelling changes:

How the Pattern Works

The word "diez y" (ten and) becomes "dieci-" in these numbers:
- diez y seis → dieciséis
- The "z" in "diez" becomes "c" before "i"
- The "y" (and) becomes just "i"

Accent Marks

Notice the accent mark on the last vowel: dieciséis
- This tells you where to stress the word
- 16: dieciséis (stress on -éis)
- Without the accent, pronunciation would be wrong!

⚠️ Important: These are written as ONE word, not three separate words!
- ❌ Wrong: "diez y seis"
- ✅ Right: "dieciséis"

Part 4: Twenty (Veinte)

Twenty is special - it's the bridge between the teens and the larger numbers!

veinte = 20
- Pronunciation: BAYN-teh
- The "v" sounds like a soft "b" in Spanish
- This number will be important for numbers 21-29 in the next lesson

Part 5: Practical Uses for Numbers 1-20

Now let's see how to USE these numbers in real life!

Telling Your Age (Tengo X años)

Pattern: Tengo + [number] + años

Examples:
- Tengo cinco años. (I'm 5 years old)
- Tengo diez años. (I'm 10 years old)
- Tengo quince años. (I'm 15 years old)
- Tengo diecinueve años. (I'm 19 years old)

Question: ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)

Counting Objects (Hay + number + objects)

Hay = There is / There are

Examples:
- Hay tres perros. (There are three dogs)
- Hay una casa. (There is one house)
- Hay siete libros. (There are seven books)
- Hay veinte estudiantes. (There are twenty students)

Asking "How Many?"

¿Cuántos? (masculine) / ¿Cuántas? (feminine)

Examples:
- ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How many years / How old are you?)
- ¿Cuántos libros hay? (How many books are there?)
- ¿Cuántas personas hay? (How many people are there?)

Part 6: Basic Math in Spanish

Learn to do simple arithmetic in Spanish!

Addition (Suma)

más = plus
es/son = equals/is

Examples:
- Dos más tres es cinco. (2 + 3 = 5)
- Uno más uno es dos. (1 + 1 = 2)
- Diez más cinco es quince. (10 + 5 = 15)

Subtraction (Resta)

menos = minus

Examples:
- Diez menos dos es ocho. (10 - 2 = 8)
- Veinte menos cinco es quince. (20 - 5 = 15)
- Doce menos tres es nueve. (12 - 3 = 9)

Multiplication (Multiplicación)

por = times/multiplied by

Examples:
- Dos por tres es seis. (2 × 3 = 6)
- Tres por cinco es quince. (3 × 5 = 15)
- Cuatro por dos es ocho. (4 × 2 = 8)

Part 7: Cultural Context - Phone Numbers

Phone numbers in Spanish-speaking countries are often said in pairs or groups.

Spanish Phone Number: 91-555-34-12

Said as:
"nueve uno, cinco cinco cinco, treinta y cuatro, doce"
(91, 555, 34, 12)

Or digit by digit:
"nueve, uno, cinco, cinco, cinco, tres, cuatro, uno, dos"

💡 Cultural Note: In Spain, phone numbers typically start with area codes like 91 (Madrid) or 93 (Barcelona). Mobile numbers often start with 6 or 7.

Part 8: Gender Agreement with "Uno"

The number ONE changes based on what it's describing!

Masculine: Uno

Before masculine nouns, use un (shortened form):
- un libro (one book)
- un perro (one dog)
- un día (one day)

Feminine: Una

Before feminine nouns, use una:
- una casa (one house)
- una mesa (one table)
- una persona (one person)

Standing Alone

When counting or saying the number alone, use uno:
- Uno, dos, tres... (counting)
- "Hay uno aquí" (There's one here)

Other numbers (2-20) DON'T change for gender!
- dos libros, dos casas (both use "dos")
- siete perros, siete mesas (both use "siete")

Part 9: Memory Techniques

Visual Memory Palace

Imagine a street with 20 houses, each numbered. As you walk down:
- House 1 (uno) - Picture UNO cards
- House 2 (dos) - Picture DOS perros (two dogs)
- House 3 (tres) - Picture TRES amigos
- Continue with vivid images for each...

Rhyme Method

Create silly rhymes:
- Uno, dos, tres - Count with me! (un, dos, tres)
- Cuatro, cinco, seis - Practice mix! (four, five, six)
- Siete, ocho, nueve - Numbers to achieve! (seven, eight, nine)

Pattern Recognition

• 1-10: Unique words, memorize individually
• 11-12: Unique (once, doce)
• 13-15: Based on 3-5 (trece, catorce, quince)
• 16-19: "dieci-" + 6-9 (dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve)
• 20: Special word (veinte)

Practice Technique: Count Everything!

Count objects around you in Spanish:
- Stairs as you climb them
- Items in your shopping cart
- Minutes while waiting
- Pages in a book

Part 10: Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Writing 16-19 as separate words

• Wrong: "diez y seis" (three words)
• Right: "dieciséis" (one word)

❌ Mistake 2: Forgetting accent marks

• Wrong: "dieciseis" (no accent)
• Right: "dieciséis" (with accent on last syllable)

❌ Mistake 3: Using "uno" before all masculine nouns

• Wrong: "uno libro"
• Right: "un libro" (shortened form)

❌ Mistake 4: Pronouncing "v" like English "v"

• Wrong: "VAYN-teh" (veinte with hard V)
• Right: "BAYN-teh" (veinte with soft B sound)

❌ Mistake 5: Mixing up "trece" (13) and "tres" (3)

• Listen carefully to context!
• "Tengo trece años" (I'm 13) vs. "Tengo tres años" (I'm 3)

Complete Number Chart: 1-20

Practice Games

Game 1: Count Up, Count Down

Start at 1, count to 20 out loud.
Then count backwards from 20 to 1!

Game 2: Skip Counting

Count only even numbers: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
(dos, cuatro, seis, ocho, diez, doce, catorce, dieciséis, dieciocho, veinte)

Then odd numbers: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19
(uno, tres, cinco, siete, nueve, once, trece, quince, diecisiete, diecinueve)

Game 3: Math Challenge

Try these in Spanish:
- 5 + 5 = ? (cinco más cinco es...)
- 10 - 3 = ? (diez menos tres es...)
- 2 × 8 = ? (dos por ocho es...)

Game 4: Real-World Counting

Look around your room and count in Spanish:
- How many windows?
- How many chairs?
- How many books?

📚 Ready to Practice!

You now know how to count from 1 to 20 in Spanish! This is the foundation for all numbers.

Daily Practice Routine:
1. Count 1-20 three times each morning
2. Count objects around you throughout the day
3. Practice your age in Spanish: "Tengo ___ años"
4. Do simple math problems in Spanish

Master These:
- Count fluently from 1-20
- Recognize numbers when heard
- Write numbers with proper spelling
- Use numbers in sentences (age, quantity, math)

Coming Next:
Lesson 4 will teach you numbers 21-100, building on everything you learned today!

Now scroll down for your 50 practice exercises! 👇