Portuguese Numbers

Portuguese numbers follow a very logical path. Most numbers look a bit like Spanish or Latin. If you know those, you have a head start. The most important thing is the word e. This word means "and" in English. You will use it to link your numbers. For example, twenty-one becomes vinte e um. It is like a bridge between the tens and units. Most numbers do not change their shape. They stay the same for men and women. However, the numbers 1 and 2 are special. They are like chameleons in the grammar world. They change based on what you are counting. If you count cars, you use one form. If you count houses, you use another. This might feel tricky at first. Don't worry, even native speakers sometimes trip here. Just keep the gender of the noun in mind. The rest of the numbers are much more relaxed.

1. 1Building Portuguese numbers is like playing with Lego blocks. You just need to snap them together.
2. 2First, memorize the basics from 0 to 10. These are your foundation stones.
3. 3Next, learn the unique names for 11 to 15. They don't follow the pattern yet.
4. 4From 16 to 19, you combine ten with the unit. Use dez plus the smaller number.
5. 5For the big tens like 20, 30, and 40, learn the base names.
6. 6To make numbers like 25, take the ten and add e. Then add the unit.
7. 7For gender-sensitive numbers 1 and 2, check the noun first.
8. 8Use um or dois for masculine things like livro (book).
9. 9Use uma or duas for feminine things like mesa (table).
10. 10Remember that 21, 31, and 41 also follow this gender rule.
11. 11Finally, practice the pronunciation of seis and sete carefully.

You will use numbers everywhere you go. Use them when ordering two coffees at a café. Use them to tell someone you are twenty years old. Use them when you give your phone number. Numbers are essential for telling the time. They are vital when you ask for the price. Imagine you are at a job interview. You might need to talk about your years of experience. Numbers help you describe quantities in a recipe. They are needed to find your seat at the cinema. You use them to count the days until your holiday. Even when you are just walking, you see house numbers. Basically, if there is a quantity, there is a number. They turn vague ideas into specific facts. You will use them from morning until night.

Sometimes, you shouldn't use these basic cardinal numbers. Don't use them for the first day of the month. In Portuguese, we use a special word for "first". Use primeiro instead of um for dates like May 1st. Don't use them when you want to rank people. If you are the winner, you are primeiro, not um. Avoid using them for fractions like "half". We usually use meio or metade for that. Also, be careful with the number six in Brazil. People often say meia on the phone to avoid confusion. But in formal writing, stick to seis. Don't use numbers when the quantity is very vague. If you have "some" books, use alguns, not a number. Other than that, numbers are your best friends.

The biggest trap is forgetting the gender of 1 and 2. You might say dois mesas, but that is wrong. It should be duas mesas. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Stop and check the noun before you speak! Another mistake is skipping the word e. Many learners say vinte um because of English. In Portuguese, you must say vinte e um. It sounds much smoother to native ears. Some people confuse seis and sete on the phone. They sound quite similar when the signal is bad. Try to emphasize the end of the words. Also, don't forget the spelling of quatorze. Some people spell it catorze, which is also correct. Just pick one and be consistent. Finally, don't use um for "a/an" and a number interchangeably without thinking. Usually, they are the same, but context matters.

Portuguese numbers are very similar to English in structure. In English, we say "twenty-one". In Portuguese, we add that extra e bridge. English doesn't care about the gender of numbers. You say "two books" and "two pens". In Portuguese, the number 2 cares deeply about its surroundings. This is a bit like French or Spanish. However, Portuguese uses e more consistently than Spanish does. In Spanish, you only use it between 30 and 99. In Portuguese, we love our e even more. Our pronunciation is also unique. The number oito sounds like it has a little secret "i" in it. The number dez has a sharp ending in Lisbon. It feels more rhythmic than English numbers. Once you get the beat, you will love it.