Italian numbers: from 0 to a million

From 0 to 20

Learn these by heart: every bigger number is built from them. Many have double consonants (, , , ). Hold the sound a little longer, or can sound like (thirst).

From 11 to 16 the unit comes first and ends in -dici (, ). From 17 to 19 it's the other way round: comes first, as dicia-, dici- or dician- (, , ).

Number	Italian
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

The tens, and the numbers in between

To make the numbers in between, join the ten and the unit into one word: + = , + = .

Two small rules. Before and , which start with a vowel, the ten drops its last vowel: , , . And takes an accent at the end of a longer number: , .

Before a noun, numbers ending in usually lose the -o: (twenty-one years).

Number	Italian
20
21
22
23
28
30
31
33
38
40
41
48
50
55
60
67
70
71
80
88
90
93
99
100

Hundreds, thousands, a million, and years

(100) never changes: , . (1,000) becomes -mila in the plural: , . Italian writes a whole number as one word, up to the millions: (1,250).

and (a billion) are nouns. They have a plural () and need before another noun: . In writing, Italian uses a full stop for thousands and a comma for decimals: 1.500 is one thousand five hundred, 2,5 is two point five.

Say years as one big number: 1990 is . Use for “in”: (in 2026).

Number	Italian
100
101
180
200
300
500
999
1.000
1.001
2.000
10.000
100.000
1.000.000
2.000.000
1.000.000.000
1861
1990
2000
2026

La casa costa duecentomila euro.The house costs two hundred thousand euros.
Sono nata nel millenovecentonovanta.I was born in 1990.
Roma ha quasi tre milioni di abitanti.Rome has almost three million inhabitants.

Ordinal numbers: first, second, third

Ordinal numbers put things in order. The first ten are special and must be learnt. They are adjectives, so they agree with the noun: (the first floor), (the first time), (the first days).

From (11th) onwards, take the cardinal number, drop its last vowel and add -esimo: → , → , → . Numbers ending in -tré or -sei keep their last vowel: , . In writing, add a small ° or ª: 1° is masculine, 1ª is feminine.

Number	Masculine	Feminine
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
20th
23rd
100th

Prices, phone numbers and percentages

never changes in the plural: , . For the cents, add (and) and the number: is €3.50. Ask the price with (one thing) or (more than one).

Italians usually say phone numbers digit by digit, or in pairs, with a small pause between the groups. Zero is always . For decimals say (comma): is 2.5. A percentage takes the article: (20%).

Quanto costa? – Quattro euro e venti.How much is it? – Four euros twenty.
Sono dodici euro e novanta.That's twelve euros ninety.
Il mio numero è tre tre otto, dodici, quarantacinque, sessantasette.My number is 338 12 45 67.
C'è uno sconto del trenta per cento.There's a thirty per cent discount.

The time and dates

To tell the time, use + the hour: . One o'clock is singular: . Add the minutes with (and), and take them away with (less). is a quarter and is half. Timetables and offices use the 24-hour clock: (16:30).

For dates, use + the cardinal number + the month: . Only the first of the month uses the ordinal: . Before and , becomes : , .

Time	Italian
1:00
3:00
3:15
3:30
3:45
8:20
12:00
16:30
0:00

Che ore sono? – Sono le nove e dieci.What time is it? – It's ten past nine.
Il treno parte alle diciotto e quindici.The train leaves at 18:15.
Oggi è il primo giugno.Today is the first of June.