Numbers in Catalan

Overview

Numbers are among the first vocabulary items you need at the A1 level. In Catalan, numbers have some unique features that set them apart from other Romance languages. Most notably, the numbers for "one" and "two" have gender forms: un/una (one) and dos/dues (two). Compound numbers from 21 to 29 are hyphenated: vint-i-un, vint-i-dos.

Cardinal numbers are used for counting and expressing quantities, while ordinal numbers (first, second, third...) describe position or rank. At the A1 level, you should be comfortable with cardinals from 0 to 100 and the first few ordinals.

The number system follows a logical pattern once you learn the basics. Numbers 1-16 are unique words, 17-19 use "deu" (ten) combinations, and from 20 onward the pattern of tens plus units becomes regular. This structure makes it manageable to learn even large numbers.

How It Works

Cardinal Numbers 0-20

Number	Catalan	Number	Catalan
0	zero	11	onze
1	un / una	12	dotze
2	dos / dues	13	tretze
3	tres	14	catorze
4	quatre	15	quinze
5	cinc	16	setze
6	sis	17	disset
7	set	18	divuit
8	vuit	19	dinou
9	nou	20	vint
10	deu

Tens and Compound Numbers

Number	Catalan	Number	Catalan
20	vint	60	seixanta
21	vint-i-un/una	70	setanta
22	vint-i-dos/dues	80	vuitanta
23	vint-i-tres	90	noranta
30	trenta	100	cent
40	quaranta	31	trenta-un
50	cinquanta	45	quaranta-cinc

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal	Masculine	Feminine
1st	primer	primera
2nd	segon	segona
3rd	tercer	tercera
4th	quart	quarta
5th	cinquè	cinquena

Examples in Context

Catalan	English	Note
un home, una dona	one man, one woman	Gender agreement
dos gats, dues gates	two cats (m/f)	Gender agreement
vint-i-tres	twenty-three	Hyphenated compound
el primer dia	the first day	Ordinal, masculine
Tinc trenta anys.	I am thirty years old.	Age expression
Són les quatre.	It is four o'clock.	Telling time
Hi ha cinquanta-dos estudiants.	There are fifty-two students.	Large number
la segona planta	the second floor	Ordinal, feminine
cent euros	one hundred euros	No article before cent
quaranta-cinc minuts	forty-five minutes	Compound number

Common Mistakes

Forgetting gender for "one" and "two"

• Wrong: un dona, dos cadires
• Right: una dona, dues cadires
• Why: "One" (un/una) and "two" (dos/dues) must agree in gender with the noun they modify.

Missing hyphens in compound numbers

• Wrong: vint i tres
• Right: vint-i-tres
• Why: Compound numbers from 21-29 are written with hyphens in Catalan.

Using ordinals instead of cardinals for dates

• Wrong: el tercer de març
• Right: el tres de març (but: el primer de març)
• Why: In Catalan, dates use cardinal numbers except for the first of the month, which uses "primer."

Practice Tips

1. Practice counting aloud from 1 to 100 every day. Pay special attention to the transitions at each ten (vint, trenta, quaranta...).
2. Practice with real-life numbers: phone numbers, prices, addresses, ages. Say them in Catalan as you encounter them during your day.
3. Learn ordinals in pairs with their context: "el primer pis" (first floor), "la segona porta" (second door), "el tercer carrer" (third street).

Related Concepts

• Time and Dates — using numbers to tell time and express dates
• Ordinals and Quantity Expressions — extended ordinals and quantifiers