Portuguese Cardinal Numbers 0

Portuguese numbers are mostly straightforward. Most numbers never change their form. You learn them once and you are done. However, there is a small twist for the numbers one and two. These numbers are like chameleons. They change based on gender. If you are talking about a man, you use one form. If you are talking about a woman, you use another. This applies to objects too. Everything in Portuguese has a gender. This might sound scary but it is actually quite logical. Think of it like a dance. The number must match the partner it is with. For most other numbers, the form stays the same. You don't have to worry about plurals or genders for três or dez. It is a relief, right? Just keep an eye on um and dois. They are the only ones looking for a match in the beginner stages. We will look at those patterns next.

1. 1To master these numbers, follow these simple steps. It is like building with blocks.
2. 2Start with the basics (0-10). These are unique sounds you just need to memorize. Zero, um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, seis, sete, oito, nove, dez.
3. 3Move to the teenagers (11-15). These also have unique names. They don't follow a strict "ten plus" rule like in some languages. Onze, doze, treze, quatorze, quinze.
4. 4Learn the composite numbers (16-19). These are literally "ten and six." In Portugal, they say dezasseis. In Brazil, they say dezesseis. Notice the small spelling difference! The pattern is: ten + and + number.
5. 5Hit the milestone of 20. This is vinte. It sounds like a fresh start.
6. 6Remember the gender rule for 1 and 2:
7. 7Masculine: um, dois (e.g., um livro, dois carros).
8. 8Feminine: uma, duas (e.g., uma mesa, duas casas).

Use cardinal numbers whenever you are talking about quantity. Use them when you are at a market. "I want quatro apples, please." Use them when you are exchanging phone numbers. In Brazil, people often say meia (short for meia dúzia or half-dozen) instead of seis to avoid confusion with sete. It is a clever little trick! Use numbers to tell your age. "I have vinte years." Yes, in Portuguese, you *have* years, you aren't *just* years. Use them for time. "It is duas o'clock." Since horas is feminine, you use duas. Use them for prices. "That coffee is dois euros." It is the foundation of every transaction. From job interviews to casual chats, numbers are the glue of conversation.

Don't use cardinal numbers for dates in most cases. Well, except for the first day of the month! For the first, you usually use an ordinal number like "primeiro de maio." For every other day, you actually *do* use cardinals. It is a bit of a flip-flop. Don't use them when you want to show rank or position. If you came in second place, you don't say you are "number two." You say you are "segundo." Don't use them for fractions either. If you want half a pizza, um dois won't help you much. You need metade. Also, don't use them as adjectives unless you are counting. They are strictly for quantity. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means count, red means describe position.

The biggest trap is gender agreement. Many people say dois mesas. This makes native speakers smile because it sounds like "two boys tables." Always check the noun! If it ends in 'a', try uma or duas. Another classic is the seis vs sete confusion. On a bad phone line, they sound almost identical. This is why the meia trick exists! Another mistake is the spelling of 14. You might see quatorze or catorze. Both are actually correct! Don't panic if you see both in the wild. It is not a typo; it is just Portuguese being flexible. Finally, watch your pronunciation of dez. It is not like the English "des." It has a sharp 'z' or 'sh' sound depending on where you are. Even native speakers mess up the spelling of dezasseis sometimes. You are in good company.

In English, numbers never change for gender. You say "one boy" and "one girl." In Portuguese, that would be um menino and uma menina. This is the biggest hurdle for English speakers. In Spanish, the patterns are very similar, but the sounds are different. Dos in Spanish is dois in Portuguese. It is like a cousin who moved to a different city and developed an accent. French also has gender for "one" (un/une) but not for "two." Portuguese is more consistent by changing both 1 and 2. Compared to German, Portuguese numbers are a dream. You don't have to say things backwards like "five and twenty." It is just vinte e cinco. Direct and simple.