Contents
Introduction
1. Spanish numbers 1–100
2. Days, months, and dates in Spanish
3. Telling time in Spanish
4. Quick reference: Common expressions
5. Best practice tips for beginners
Conclusion: Master the basics, build confidence
Numbers, Dates, and Time: Spanish Basics for Beginners
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April 02, 2025
Introduction
To quickly build your daily Spanish learning habits that reinforce basic skills like numbers and time, focus on mastering Spanish numbers, and Spanish dates. These elements come up in daily chats. You might mention your birthday, set a meeting, or buy something at the store. This guide gives you all you need to know about Spanish numbers, Spanish dates, and telling time in Spanish with confidence as it is an essential Spanish phrases for everyday conversations.
1. Spanish numbers 1–100
Learning to count in Spanish opens the door to understanding prices, phone numbers, addresses, and more.
Numbers 1–20
These are essential and often memorized as a set:
1: uno
2: dos
3: tres
4: cuatro
5: cinco
6: seis
7: siete
8: ocho
9: nueve
10: diez
11: once
12: doce
13: trece
14: catorce
15: quince
16: dieciséis
17: diecisiete
18: dieciocho
19: diecinueve
20: veinte
Counting by Tens: 30 to 100
30: treinta
40: cuarenta
50: cincuenta
60: sesenta
70: setenta
80: ochenta
90: noventa
100: – cien
To form numbers in between (e.g., 36), just use “y” between the tens and units:
treinta y seis = thirty-six
Pro tip: Numbers 16–29 are often written as one word (e.g., veintidós), while 31 and up are separated (e.g., treinta y uno).
2. Days, months, and dates in Spanish
Talking about the calendar is a key part of daily conversation. Let’s break it down the Spanish calendar words:
Days of the week
- lunes: Monday
- martes: Tuesday
- miércoles: Wednesday
- jueves: Thursday
- viernes: Friday
- sábado: Saturday
- domingo: Sunday
Days of the week are not capitalized in Spanish.
Months of the year
- enero: January
- febrero: February
- marzo: March
- abril: April
- mayo: May
- junio: June
- julio: July
- agosto: August
- septiembre: September
- octubre: October
- noviembre: November
- diciembre: December
Months are also written in lowercase, just like days, in Spanish days and months.
Saying the date (how to say dates in Spanish)
The format in Spanish is: day + de + month + de + year
Example:
Hoy es el 12 de octubre de 2025.
(Today is October 12th, 2025.)
To ask for the date:
¿Qué fecha es hoy? – What’s today’s date?
To answer:
Hoy es el cinco de mayo. – Today is the 5th of May.
This is how to use Spanish dates.
3. Telling time in Spanish
Telling time in Spanish for beginners is easier than you think. The key is knowing when to use “es la” (only for 1 o’clock) and “son las” (for all other times).
Basic time structure
• Es la una.: It’s one o’clock.
• Son las tres.: It’s three o’clock.
• Son las siete y media.: It’s 7:30.
Expressing minutes
• y cuarto: quarter past
• y media: half past
• menos cuarto: quarter to
Examples:
• Son las cuatro y cuarto.: It’s 4:15.
• Son las seis menos cuarto.: It’s 5:45.
Time of day
• de la mañana: in the morning
• de la tarde: in the afternoon
• de la noche: in the evening/night
Example:
Son las ocho de la noche.: It’s 8:00 PM.
These are common Spanish time expressions.
4. Quick reference: Common expressions
• ¿Qué hora es?: What time is it?
• ¿A qué hora…?: At what time…?
• Tengo clase a las diez.: I have class at 10.
• Hoy es lunes.: Today is Monday.
• Mi cumpleaños es el tres de abril.: My birthday is April 3rd.
• Cien personas: One hundred people (Spanish number 1-100)
5. Best practice tips for beginners
- Practice numbers daily: Count objects around you or quiz yourself with flashcards.
- Write your weekly schedule in Spanish: Add Spanish days and months for real-life reinforcement.
- Set your phone language to Spanish: See times, Spanish dates, and calendar notifications in Spanish.
- Use audio and video: Listening to native speakers helps with pronunciation and retention of Spanish calendar words.
- Make simple phrases. Combine Spanish numbers, dates, and telling time in Spanish. Use personal sentences like:
Voy al trabajo a las ocho de la mañana.
El concierto es el 14 de junio.
Hay veinte estudiantes en la clase.
Conclusion: Master the basics, build confidence
Spanish numbers, Spanish dates, and telling time in Spanish are the building blocks of real-world Spanish. You need to mastering the ability:
- to understand (Spanish counting 1-100),
- Know the calendar (Spanish days and months)
- Articulating time (Spanish time phrases),
With this knowledge, you'll be ready for conversations in shops, at work, in school, or while traveling. These aren’t just words—they’re practical tools that help you function in Spanish-speaking environments.
Want more support? Comligo provides live online Spanish classes. Native-speaking instructors guide you through the basics and help you practice in real conversations.
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