Numbers 1-100 in Romanian

Overview

Numbers are among the most immediately practical vocabulary items for any A1 learner. In Romanian, the cardinal numbers from 1 to 100 follow a largely regular system with a few distinctive features that set them apart from other Romance languages. The most important of these is that the numbers "one" and "two" have gender-specific forms — they must agree with the noun they modify, just like adjectives.

Romanian numbers are derived from Latin, and the system will feel broadly familiar to anyone who knows French, Spanish, or Italian numbers. However, Romanian has its own formation patterns, particularly for the teens (11-19), which use the suffix -sprezece (literally "over ten"), and for compound numbers, which join tens and units with și (and).

Beyond basic counting, numbers interact with other grammar concepts including noun gender, the preposition de (required with certain quantities), and ordinal formation. Mastering numbers 1-100 at this stage provides the foundation for telling time, stating prices, giving your age, and handling all the numeric situations that arise in daily life.

How It Works

Numbers 1-10

Number	Romanian	Note
1	un (m/n) / o (f)	Gender-agreeing
2	doi (m) / două (f/n)	Gender-agreeing
3	trei	Invariable
4	patru	Invariable
5	cinci	Invariable
6	șase	Invariable
7	șapte	Invariable
8	opt	Invariable
9	nouă	Invariable
10	zece	Invariable

Numbers 11-19

Formed with the pattern: unit + sprezece (over ten).

Number	Romanian
11	unsprezece
12	doisprezece (m) / douăsprezece (f)
13	treisprezece
14	paisprezece
15	cincisprezece
16	șaisprezece
17	șaptesprezece
18	optsprezece
19	nouăsprezece

Tens (20-90)

Number	Romanian
20	douăzeci
30	treizeci
40	patruzeci
50	cincizeci
60	șaizeci
70	șaptezeci
80	optzeci
90	nouăzeci

Compound Numbers (21-99)

Formed with: tens + și + units.

• 21 = douăzeci și unu (m) / douăzeci și una (f)
• 35 = treizeci și cinci
• 99 = nouăzeci și nouă

The Preposition De

When a number of 20 or higher precedes a noun, the preposition de is inserted:

• douăzeci de ani — twenty years
• treizeci de lei — thirty lei
• But: zece ani — ten years (no de for numbers under 20)

This rule also applies to sută (hundred): o sută de oameni — a hundred people.

Examples in Context

Romanian	English	Note
un băiat / o fată	one boy / one girl	Un/o agrees with gender
doi băieți / două fete	two boys / two girls	Doi/două agrees with gender
Am trei frați.	I have three brothers.	No gender agreement needed
Costă patru lei.	It costs four lei.	Currency context
unsprezece persoane	eleven people	Teens: unit + sprezece
douăsprezece luni	twelve months	Feminine form douăsprezece
douăzeci și unu de ani	twenty-one years	Compound number + de
treizeci și cinci de minute	thirty-five minutes	De required after 20+
Am cincizeci de lei.	I have fifty lei.	De between number and noun
nouăzeci și nouă de probleme	ninety-nine problems	Full compound with de
o sută	one hundred	Sută is feminine — takes o
Sunt zece elevi în clasă.	There are ten students in class.	No de for numbers under 20

Common Mistakes

Forgetting gender agreement for "one" and "two."

• Wrong: un fete or doi fete
• Right: o fată (one girl), două fete (two girls)
• Why: "One" (un/o) and "two" (doi/două) are the only cardinal numbers that must agree with the gender of the noun.

Omitting de after numbers 20 and above.

• Wrong: douăzeci ani
• Right: douăzeci de ani
• Why: The preposition de is mandatory between numbers of 20+ and the noun they quantify.

Adding de after numbers below 20.

• Wrong: zece de lei
• Right: zece lei
• Why: Numbers from 1 to 19 connect directly to the noun without de. The rule only kicks in at 20.

Mispronouncing the teens.

• Wrong: Treating paisprezece as four separate words.
• Right: paisprezece is a single word with the stress on -spre-.
• Why: The teens are compound words, not phrases. Pronouncing them as single units sounds more natural.

Usage Notes

In everyday spoken Romanian, numbers are often shortened or blurred, particularly the teens. For instance, unsprezece may sound like unșpe in rapid speech, and doisprezece may become doișpe. These shortened forms are widespread in casual conversation but are not used in formal writing.

Romanian currency is the leu (plural: lei), and prices are a constant source of number practice. Prices above 20 always use de: treizeci de lei (30 lei), but zece lei (10 lei).

The number nouă (nine) is identical in form to the possessive pronoun nouă (our, to us). Context always makes the meaning clear, but be aware of this homophony.

Practice Tips

• Practice counting aloud from 1 to 100 daily, focusing on the transition points (10-11, 19-20) where patterns change. Speed and fluency will come with repetition.
• Use gender-agreeing numbers (un/o, doi/două) in real sentences about objects around you, ensuring you match the gender each time.
• Practice the de rule by creating price tags or age statements for numbers both below and above 20 to internalize when de is required.

Related Concepts

• Next steps: Time, Days, and Months — numbers are essential for telling time and dates