We've already covered What are the numbers in English? and its rules, but having a complete list from 1 to 50 can be very useful to reinforce what you have learned. Throughout this article, we will not only review the numbers from 1 to 50, but you will also learn interesting details about their pronunciation, Gramatical rules and some Interesting Facts.
Numbers in English from 1 to 50
Let's start with all numbers in English from 1 to 50. In this list you will find the written version of each number, which will help you review both its writing and its pronunciation:
- one
- Two
- three
- four
- five
- six
- seven
- eight
- nine
- th
- eleven
- twelve
- thirteen
- fourteen
- fifteen
- sixteen
- seventeen
- eighteen
- nineteen
- Twenty
- twenty one
- twenty-two
- twenty three
- twenty-four
- twenty five
- twenty six
- twenty seven
- twenty-eight
- twenty nine
- thirty
- thirty one
- thirty-two
- thirty-three
- thirty-four
- thirty-five
- thirty-six
- thirty seven
- thirty-eight
- thirty nine
- forty
- forty one
- forty two
- forty-three
- Forty-four
- forty-five
- forty six
- forty seven
- forty-eight
- forty nine
- fifty
Note that the numbers 13 to 19 end in "Teen", which coincides with the adolescent age («teenager», which spans from ages 13 to 19). That's why the ages of adolescents end in "teen."
Units from 1 to 9 and their use in larger numbers
Knowing the units from 1 to 9 is crucial to forming larger numbers, as we will see below when combining tens with units.
- 1: one
- 2: two
- 3: three
- 4: four
- 5: five
- 6: six
- 7: seven
- 8: eight
- 9: nine
These numbers are not only used as integer values, they also serve as a basis for composite numbers, such as twenty one (21) o forty-eight (48). The key is to learn them well as they will help you build larger quantities easily.
Rules for forming composite numbers
When forming compound numbers in English, it is important to remember that a hyphen is used between tens and units. This is key from number 21 onwards, as in twenty one (21) o forty-eight (48). When writing, the same rule is followed, and when pronouncing, we always keep the two words separate but fluid. Here are some examples of tens and compound numbers:
- 20: twenty
- 21: twenty-one
- 22: twenty-two
- And so on until 29: twenty-nine.
- 30: thirty
- 31: thirty-one
- 32: thirty-two
- And so on until 39: thirty-nine.
The same pattern is repeated for numbers 40 to 50. Remember, always use the hyphen between the two parts to write compound numbers correctly.
Forty or Fourty: A common mistake
It is common to make the mistake of writing the number 40 as «fourty», but the correct way is forty. Unlike the number four (four), 40 does not contain the "u".
- 40: forty
- 41: forty-one
- 42: forty-two
- 50: fifty
This is a classic mistake that we should avoid, even among advanced English learners, since sometimes our memory plays tricks on us.
The hundreds in english
To form numbers in the hundreds, we use a simple formula. Let's see it with clear examples:
- 100: one hundred (you can also say the hundred)
- 200: two hundred
- 300: three hundred
- 500: five hundred
A practical example is the number 121, which is written and pronounced as one hundred and twenty-one. If after "hundred" there are other figures, the word "hundred" must be added. «and» between them: two hundred and thirty-four (234)
Fractions and decimals in English
When learning numbers in English, it is also necessary to understand how to use fractions and decimals:
- Fractions: To say fractions, we use the cardinal number for the numerator (top) and the ordinal number for the denominator (bottom). For example:
- 1/4: one fourth
- 3/5: three fifths
- 1/2: one half
- Decimals: The word "point" is used to separate the whole part from the decimal:
- 0.5: point five
- 2.75: two point seven five
Understanding how fractions and decimals work in English is essential, as they are used in many everyday situations, such as in cooking or when talking about percentages.
Now that you know the numbers and their rules better in English, all that's left is to keep practicing. A great way to internalize this knowledge is to repeat and write the numbers several times, especially the larger ones, such as 21 to 50.