Want to learn how to count and tell the numbers in European Portuguese? You’re in the right place! Knowing how to count and use numbers is essential when traveling to a Portuguese-speaking country, communicating with native speakers, or even learning the language. You need them for pretty much everything: telling the time, buying things, and much more.
However, counting in Portuguese may seem daunting at first, especially if you are not familiar with the language’s unique pronunciation and grammar rules. That’s why I have put together this comprehensive guide to help you understand how to count and tell the numbers in European Portuguese.
You’ll find here everything number-related, cardinal numbers from zero to one million, ordinal numbers, and some additional vocabulary you may hear Portuguese natives say.
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, this post will provide you with everything you need to know to master numbers in Portuguese. So, let’s dive in!
Cardinal Numbers – Os Números Cardinais de 0 a 1 milhão
Let’s start with the numbers from zero to twenty. After all, those are the ones we use the most often.
| Number | Spelling | Pronunciation |
| 0 | zero | zeh-roo |
| 1 | um/uma* | oon |
| 2 | dois/duas* | doysh |
| 3 | três | trehsh |
| 4 | quatro | kwa-troo |
| 5 | cinco | seen-koo |
| 6 | seis | seysh |
| 7 | sete | seht |
| 8 | oito | oytoo |
| 9 | nove | noh-v |
| 10 | dez | dehsh |
The hardest part to learn is usually from eleven to twenty. Once that’s done and dusted, it gets easier! Learn as dezenas (the tens) and add e (and) followed by the digit.
| 11 | onze | onze |
| 12 | doze | doz |
| 13 | treze | trehz |
| 14 | catorze | katorz |
| 15 | quinze | keenz |
| 16 | dezasseis | d-zuhseysh |
| 17 | dezassete | d-zuhset |
| 18 | dezoito | d-zoytoo |
| 19 | dezanove | d-zanov |
| 20 | vinte | veent |
| 21 | Vinte e um | |
| 22 | Vinte e dois | |
| 23 | Vinte e três | |
| 24 | Vinte e quatro | |
| 25 | Vinte e cinco | |
| 26 | vinte e seis | |
| 27 | Vinte e sete | |
| 28 | Vinte e oito | |
| 29 | Vinte e nove | |
| 30 | trinta | tring-tuh |
| 31 | Trinta e um | |
| 32 | Trinta e dois | |
| 33 | Trinta e três | |
| 34 | Trinta e quatro | |
| 35 | Trinta e cinco | |
| 36 | Trinta e seis | |
| 37 | Trinta e sete | |
| 38 | Trinta e oito | |
| 39 | Trinta e nove | |
| 40 | quarenta | kwarentuh |
| 41 | Quarenta e um | |
| 42 | Quarenta e dois | |
| 43 | Quarenta e três | |
| 50 | cinquenta | seenkwenta |
| 60 | sessenta | |
| 70 | setenta | |
| 72 | Setenta e dois | |
| 80 | oitenta | |
| 90 | noventa | |
| 100 | cem | |
| 101 | cento e um | |
| 200 | duzentos/duzentas | |
| 300 | trezentos/trezentas | |
| 400 | quatrocentos/ quatrocentas | |
| 500 | quinhentos / quinhentas | |
| 600 | seiscentos / seiscentas | |
| 700 | setecentos / setecentas | |
| 800 | oitocentos / oitocentas | |
| 900 | novecentos / novecentas | |
| 1000 | mil | |
| 10 000 | dez mil | |
| 1,000,000 | um milhão |
That’s it! All the numbers in between follow the same patterns and rules. Good job! You are one step closer to fluency!
*Teacher tip: Keep in mind that um and dois have feminine variations. Numbers above 200 also do.
Gostava de ter uma casa com jardim. I'd like to have a house with a garden.
a casa: the house is a feminine noun.
Este saco custa duzentos e quarenta e cinco euros (245). This bag costs 245€.
Há menos de quinhentas pessoas nesta aldeia. There's less than 500 people in this village.
as pessoas: people is a feminine and plural noun in Portuguese.
Ordinal Numbers – Números Ordinais
Ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc, can be really useful especially when:
- Giving addresses (if you live in a building)
- Telling stories (first time, second time, etc)
Moro no terceiro andar.
I live on the third floor.
Hoje é dia quinze. Today is the fifteenth.
| primeiro | first | preemeyroo |
| segundo | second | sgoondoo |
| terceiro | third | tuhrseyroo |
| quarto | fourth | kwartoo |
| quinto | fifth | keentoo |
| sexto | sixth | seyshtoo |
| sétimo | seventh | sehteemoo |
| oitavo | eighth | oytahvoo |
| nono | ninth | nohnoo |
| décimo | tenth | dehseemoo |
| décimo-primeiro | eleventh | dehseemoo preemeyroo |
| décimo-segundo | twelfth | dehseemoo sgoondoo |
| décimo-terceiro | thirteenth | dehseemoo tuhrseyroo |
Teacher tip: unlike cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers have gender and number variations. Keep it in mind when building sentences!
Foi a primeira vez que fui à Alemanha. Gostei muito. It was the first time I went to Germany. I liked it a lot.
More Vocabulary related to numbers:
meia dúzia – half a dozen
uma dúzia – a dozen
Queria uma dúzia de ovos, por favor. A como é? I would like a dozen of eggs, please. How much is it?
dezena(s) – a ten
Tenho dezenas de livros neste quarto, mas ainda não li nenhum. I have tens of books in this room, but I still haven't read any.
centena(s) – a hundred
Em Lisboa, centenas de casas estão em mau estado. In Lisbon, hundreds of houses are in bad shape.
milhar(es) – a thousand
Milhares de pessoas vieram a este concerto. Thousands of people came to this concert.
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