Ch 2 · Lesson 43Spanish · Chapter 2 · Lesson 43 · Grammar primer
Cien, ciento and mil: the big numbers
on its own or before a noun, when more follows; the hundreds agree and three are irregular; and , never .
The short version
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A hundred is on its own and straight before a noun, or : , . The moment a smaller number follows, it becomes : , . And never goes plural: two thousand is , not .
Cien and ciento
A hundred has two forms. Ask one question: does something smaller come after it?
| After it | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| nothing | | . I count to 100. |
| a noun | | - a hundred years |
| or | | - a hundred thousand |
| a smaller number | | - 101 |
| a smaller number | | - 120 |
One fixed phrase keeps alone: , per cent.
The hundreds agree, and three are irregular
From two hundred, the hundreds are single words ending in -cientos, and they agree with the noun:
| 200 to 400 | 500 to 700 | 800 to 900 |
|---|---|---|
200 | 500 | 800 ochocientos |
300 trescientos | 600 seiscientos | 900 |
400 cuatrocientos | 700 |
The three in bold are irregular: (not cincocientos), and .
Agreement is with the noun that follows, even with in between:
doscientas- two hundred housesquinientas- five hundred peopledoscientas- two hundred thousand houses
Mil, never miles
| Number | Spanish | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | | no in front |
| 2,000 | | in a number, no s |
| 100,000 | | before |
| 1,000,000 | | a noun, so follows |
| 2,000,000 | | plural, no accent |
| 1,000,000,000 | | the English billion |
A year is read as one number:
.- I was born in 1990.veintiséis- 2026
exists, but it is a noun meaning thousands of, and it takes :
.- There are thousands of people.
Going further: The whole system on one screen and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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Lesson 43 of 50 in this chapter