Numbers and Counting

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Numeri e conteggio

Learn the Italian numbers and how to count from 0 to 99.

Italian Numbers: 0-19

The numbers 0 to 19 are pretty easy in Italian; you just need to memorize them like any other vocabulary:

0	zero		10	dieci
1	uno, una		11	undici
2	due		12	dodici
3	tre		13	tredici
4	quattro		14	quattordici
5	cinque		15	quindici
6	sei		16	sedici
7	sette		17	diciassette
8	otto		18	diciotto
9	nove		19	diciannove

  Note that with the exception of tre, all the single digit numbers have two syllables, the first of which is always stressed: Uno, DUe, QUAttro, etc.

For 11 through 19, the spelling of the Italian word for "ten," dieci, is modified slightly, as are many of the single digit words it’s attached to. For 11-16, dici follows the single digit, while for 17-19, it precedes it.

Italian Numbers: 20-39

20	venti		30	trenta
21	ventuno		31	trentuno
22	ventidue		32	trentadue
23	ventitré		33	trentatré
24	ventiquattro		34	trentaquattro
25	venticinque		35	trentacinque
26	ventisei		36	trentasei
27	ventisette		37	trentasette
28	ventotto		38	trentotto
29	ventinove		39	trentanove

 Spelling and pronunciation notes

Venti and trenta lose their final vowel when followed by numbers that begin with a vowel (uno and otto).

As the only single syllable digit, tre takes on an acute accent to show that it’s the stressed syllable in 23, 33, etc.

Italian Numbers: 40-99

40	quaranta		50	cinquanta
41	quarantuno		51	cinquantuno
42	quarantadue		52	cinquantadue
43	quarantatré		53	cinquantatré
44	quarantaquattro		54	cinquantaquattro
45	quarantacinque		55	cinquantacinque
46	quarantasei		56	cinquantasei
47	quarantasette		57	cinquantasette
48	quarantotto		58	cinquantotto
49	quarantanove		59	cinquantanove
60	sessanta		70	settanta
61	sessantuno		71	settantuno
62	sessantadue		72	settantadue
63	sessantatré		73	settantatré
64	sessantaquattro		74	settantaquattro
65	sessantacinque		75	settantacinque
66	sessantasei		76	settantasei
67	sessantasette		77	settantasette
68	sessantotto		78	settantotto
69	sessantanove		79	sessantanove
80	ottanta		90	novanta
81	ottantuno		91	novantuno
82	ottantadue		92	novantadue
83	ottantatré		93	novantatré
84	ottantaquattro		94	novantaquattro
85	ottantacinque		95	novantacinque
86	ottantasei		96	novantasei
87	ottantasette		97	novantasette
88	ottantotto		98	novantotto
89	ottantanove		99	novantanove

 Spelling and a bonus Italian idiom

The numbers 40+ have the same spelling changes as the 20s and 30s.

They also lend themselves to an expression related to a milestone birthday. Since the "tens" numbers all end in –anta, when turning quaranta, it’s common to say entrare negli anta, meaning "to turn 40" (literally, "to enter the ‘-antas’ ").

 Tricky number notes

Uno is used only when counting (uno, due, tre) or when it refers to a masculine noun but does not precede that noun:

– Quanti ragazzi ci sono? – Uno.
– How many boys are there? – One.

Uno changes to un when used in front of a masculine noun:*

un ragazzo
one boy

* Except when it’s followed by certain letters and letter combinations – learn more.

When it’s attached to a "tens" number, this shortening is optional – and is less common than the longer number:

ventuno ragazzi / ventun ragazzi
twenty-one boys

Una is used for a single feminine noun:

una ragazza
one girl

When the noun begins with a vowel, una contracts to un’:

un’idea
one idea

When it comes to "tens" numbers, una reverts back to the masculine or shortened form – again, the latter is less common:

ventuno ragazze / ventun ragazze
twenty-one girls

 Related lessons

• Ordinal numbers
• Dates
• Fractions
• Indefinite article
• Telling time
• Complex sounds
   

 Italian lesson plans

• Asking for tourist information (Lesson plan, 9th – Higher Ed)
• Classifed ads (Lesson, 1st – 12th grade)
• Design an Italian resort (Lesson plan, 9th – Higher Ed)
   

 En español

• Números y recuento
   

 En français

• Nombres et calcul
   

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