Spanish numbers 1 to 20: uno, dos, tres: what children learn
Numbers are some of the most useful words in any language: for ages, dates, prices, phone numbers and games. In Key Stage 2, children learn to count to 20 and beyond in Spanish. The numbers 1 to 15 each have their own word (uno, dos, tres … quince). From 16, Spanish builds numbers from pieces: dieciséis is “ten and six”, diecisiete is “ten and seven”, then dieciocho, diecinueve and finally veinte, 20.
This game shows a Spanish number word and asks for its value, or gives a number and asks which Spanish word matches. Every word has one value, so there is always one right answer. Spotting the pattern from 16 to 19 is a good example of the curriculum’s aim to understand new words using what you already know. Watch the accent on dieciséis: it is the only number to 20 that has one.
This topic covers a Key Stage 2 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Subject content): pupils should be taught to “broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary”. The programme of study sets this for the whole of Key Stage 2, so schools choose when to teach it; we have placed this game in Year 4 (ages 8–9).
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Count 1 to 10. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez. Count stairs, steps or claps.
- Learn 11 to 15. Once, doce, trece, catorce, quince. These have to be learned; they do not follow a pattern.
- Spot the pattern from 16. Dieci means “ten and”: dieciséis (16), diecisiete (17), dieciocho (18), diecinueve (19).
- Finish with 20. Veinte is 20. After that come veintiuno, veintidós and so on.
- Use numbers in sentences. Tengo nueve años means I am nine years old (literally “I have nine years”).
Worked examples
Example 1: What number is catorce?
Working: It comes after trece (13).
Answer: 14.
Example 2: What number is dieciocho?
Working: Dieci means ten and, and ocho is 8.
Answer: 18.
Example 3: How do you say 16 in Spanish?
Working: Ten and six, written as one word with an accent.
Answer: dieciséis
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Mixing up doce (12) and dos (2). Say them slowly: dos has one syllable, do-ce has two.
- Mixing up seis (6) and siete (7). Count on fingers while saying the words in order.
- Forgetting the accent on dieciséis. The accent tells you to stress the last part: die-ci-SÉIS.
- Writing diez y seis as three words. Modern Spanish writes 16 to 19 as one word: dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve.
Activities to try at home
- Count in Spanish while climbing the stairs or doing star jumps.
- Play a dice game and say each roll in Spanish.
- Say your age and family members’ ages with tengo … años.
- Print the game sheet and race to answer it.
Ideas for the classroom
- Count round the class in Spanish, missing out multiples of 3 with a clap.
- Play bingo with Spanish number words called out.
- Write simple sums in Spanish words: dos más tres es igual a cinco.
- Use a number line labelled in Spanish to 20 on the wall.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
How far should children count in Spanish in Key Stage 2?
Most schools aim for 20 by the end of Year 4, then larger numbers for prices and dates in Years 5 and 6.
Why does dieciséis have an accent?
The accent marks the stressed syllable. Without it the word would be read with the stress in the wrong place.
Is it uno or un?
When counting you say uno. Before a masculine noun it shortens to un: un perro (one dog). Before a feminine noun it is una.