Unit 0
Cardinal Numbers Gender
Advertising
Introduction
Numbers [números] can be represented by digits or words and generally express quantity (cardinal numbers) or order in a sequence (ordinal numbers).
Cardinal numbers [números cardinales] are used to indicate the quantity of something.
Some cardinal numbers can have both genders [géneros] and agree in gender with the noun they accompany.
Form
Some cardinal numbers can have both genders and have the same gender as the noun that they attached.
These are uno (and the compounds and combinations ending with uno) and the hundreds from doscientos to novecientos (and the combinations ending with them):
21 – veintiuno:
- isolated: without change ⇒ veintiuno;
- before a masculine noun: deletes -o ⇒ veintiún*;
- before a feminine noun: -o changes to -a ⇒ veintiuna.
31 – treinta y uno (+ 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101, etc.):
- isolated: without change ⇒ treinta y uno;
- before a masculine noun: deletes -o ⇒ treinta y un;
- before a feminine noun: -o changes to -a ⇒ treinta y una.
200 – doscientos (+ 300, 400, 500, …, 1.700, …, 2.345.600, etc.):
- isolated: without change ⇒ doscientos;
- before a masculine noun: without change ⇒ doscientos;
- before a feminine noun: -os changes to -as ⇒ doscientas.
* In the case of veintiún, a graphic accent must be added.
Example
21:
- isolated: la fila número veintiuno;
- before a masculine noun: veintiún hombres;
- before a femenine noun: veintiuna mujeres.
31 (+ 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101, etc.):
- isolated: la fila número treinta y uno;
- before a masculine noun: treinta y un hombres;
- before a femenine noun: treinta y una mujeres.
200 (+ 300, 400, 500, …, 1.700, …, 2.345.600, etc.):
- isolated: la fila número doscientos;
- before a masculine noun: doscientos hombres;
- before a femenine noun: doscientas mujeres.
Use
Cardinal numbers are used to indicate:
- numbers of people, animals, or things;
- measurements, weights, and distances;
- age;
- dates;
- hours;
- years.
Summary
Some cardinal numbers can have both genders in Spanish and agree in gender with the noun they accompany.
These are uno and the compounds that end with it, and the hundreds from doscientos to novecientos and the combined ones that end with them.
For example:
— «treinta y un niños. / treinta y una niñas.» = 31.
— «doscientos euros. / doscientas monedas.» = 200.
Check the contents of the {Form} section. Then move on to the {Example} section, which shows you the usage in context.
Exercises
The exercises are not created yet. If you would like to get involve with their creation, be a contributor.
Ambassadors
Open TextBooks are collaborative projects, with people from all over the world bringing their skills and interests to join in the compilation and dissemination of knowledge to everyone and everywhere.
Become an Ambassador and write your textbooks.
Online Teaching
Become a Books4Languages Online tutor & teacher.
More information here about how to be a tutor.
