Spanish numbers 1 to 20: uno, dos, tres: what children learn
In the game, children build each Spanish number word from letter tiles, with a plain letter as a decoy for every accent, so they have to choose the é in dieciséis. The Quick quiz shows a Spanish number word and asks for its value, or gives a number and asks which Spanish word matches. Every word has one value, so there is always one right answer. Spotting the pattern from 16 to 19 is a good example of the curriculum’s aim to understand new words using what you already know. Watch the accent on dieciséis: it is the only number to 20 that has one.
Suggested grade 3 practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim. French and Spanish games are grouped by challenge level; learners can begin in any grade.
ACTFL World-Readiness Standards teaching connection: Vocabulary foundations for communication. Recognizing words and building short phrases can prepare a learner for reading and communication. Follow the game with a real exchange or a short text. Word recognition alone does not establish an ACTFL proficiency level or cover all communication modes. Read the framework.
How to play
Build the word from the tiles. Tap a tile to put it in the next gap, or type the letters. Watch out for the accents! Each game has 6 words and no timer. If a letter is wrong, the right ones stay and you get one more try. You get a point for each word built first time. For a quicker go, choose Quick quiz: 10 multiple-choice questions in 150 seconds (choose Relaxed for more time).
Step by step
- Count 1 to 10. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez. Count stairs, steps or claps.
- Learn 11 to 15. Once, doce, trece, catorce, quince. These have to be learned; they do not follow a pattern.
- Spot the pattern from 16. Dieci means “ten and”: dieciséis (16), diecisiete (17), dieciocho (18), diecinueve (19).
- Finish with 20. Veinte is 20. After that come veintiuno, veintidós and so on.
- Use numbers in sentences. Tengo nueve años means I am nine years old (literally “I have nine years”).
Worked examples
Example 1: What number is catorce?
Working: It comes after trece (13).
Answer: 14.
Example 2: What number is dieciocho?
Working: Dieci means ten and, and ocho is 8.
Answer: 18.
Example 3: How do you say 16 in Spanish?
Working: Ten and six, written as one word with an accent.
Answer: dieciséis
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Mixing up doce (12) and dos (2). Say them slowly: dos has one syllable, do-ce has two.
- Mixing up seis (6) and siete (7). Count on fingers while saying the words in order.
- Forgetting the accent on dieciséis. The accent tells you to stress the last part: die-ci-SÉIS.
- Writing diez y seis as three words. Modern Spanish writes 16 to 19 as one word: dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve.
Activities to try at home
- Count in Spanish while climbing the stairs or doing star jumps.
- Play a dice game and say each roll in Spanish.
- Say your age and family members’ ages with tengo … años.
- Print the game sheet and race to answer it.
Ideas for the classroom
- Count round the class in Spanish, missing out multiples of 3 with a clap.
- Play bingo with Spanish number words called out.
- Write simple sums in Spanish words: dos más tres es igual a cinco.
- Use a number line labeled in Spanish to 20 on the wall.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a color-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
How should I choose this game for my learner?
Suggested grade 3 practice, selected by skill and reading demand. US states and schools teach these topics in different grades; this is not a state-standards alignment claim. French and Spanish games are grouped by challenge level; learners can begin in any grade.
Why does dieciséis have an accent?
The accent marks the stressed syllable. Without it the word would be read with the stress in the wrong place.
Is it uno or un?
When counting you say uno. Before a masculine noun it shortens to un: un perro (one dog). Before a feminine noun it is una.