how to count in portuguese

2 min read 18-01-2025

Learning a new language can be daunting, but mastering the basics, like counting, is a great first step. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to count in Portuguese, from one to one million, and beyond! We'll cover numbers, pronunciation tips, and even some helpful cultural insights. Let's begin your Portuguese counting journey!

Counting from One to Ten

Let's start with the most fundamental numbers:

Number	Portuguese	Pronunciation (approx.)
1	um	oom
2	dois	dwahysh
3	três	traysh
4	quatro	kwah-troh
5	cinco	seen-koh
6	seis	saysh
7	sete	seh-teh
8	oito	oy-toh
9	nove	noh-veh
10	dez	dez

Pronunciation Notes: The pronunciation guides are approximations. The best way to learn the correct pronunciation is to listen to native speakers using online resources like Forvo or YouTube. Pay attention to the stress on syllables – it can change the meaning!

Numbers 11-19

The numbers 11-19 follow a slightly different pattern:

11: onze (ohn-zeh)
12: doze (doh-zeh)
13: treze (tray-zeh)
14: catorze (kah-tor-zeh)
15: quinze (keen-zeh)
16: dezesseis (deh-zeh-saysh)
17: dezessete (deh-zeh-seh-teh)
18: dezoito (deh-zoy-toh)
19: dezenove (deh-zeh-noh-veh)

Notice that numbers 11-16 are fairly straightforward, but 16-19 use a combination of "dez" (10) and the unit number.

Tens, Hundreds, and Thousands

Once you've mastered the numbers 1-19, counting higher becomes easier. Here's how:

Tens: These are formed using the base number + "-enta":
- 20: vinte (veen-teh)
- 30: trinta (treen-tah)
- 40: quarenta (kwah-ren-tah)
- 50: cinquenta (seen-kwen-tah)
- 60: sessenta (ses-sen-tah)
- 70: setenta (seh-ten-tah)
- 80: oitenta (oy-ten-tah)
- 90: noventa (noh-ven-tah)
Hundreds: The structure is similar: base number + "-centos"
- 100: cem (sem)
- 200: duzentos (doo-zen-toosh)
- 300: trezentos (tray-zen-toosh)
- etc.
Thousands: Use "mil" (meel) for 1000 and add the hundreds to make larger numbers. For example, 2000 is "dois mil" (doysh meel), 3000 is "três mil" (traysh meel).
Millions and Beyond: "Milhão" (mee-lyawn) is one million. You'll build on this pattern for even larger numbers.

Putting it Together: Examples

Let's look at a few examples to demonstrate how to combine the elements:

25: vinte e cinco (veen-teh eh seen-koh) - Literally "twenty and five"
147: cento e quarenta e sete (sen-toh eh kwah-ren-tah eh seh-teh) - "One hundred and forty and seven"
1,234: mil duzentos e trinta e quatro (meel doo-zen-toosh eh treen-tah eh kwah-troh) - "One thousand, two hundred and thirty and four"

How to Practice Your Portuguese Counting

Use flashcards: Create flashcards with the numbers and their pronunciations.
Listen to audio: Find audio resources online to hear native speakers count.
Practice writing: Write out the numbers repeatedly to reinforce your memory.
Use counting apps: Many language learning apps incorporate counting exercises.
Find a language partner: Speaking with a native speaker is invaluable.

Conclusion

Learning to count in Portuguese is a significant step toward fluency. By practicing regularly and using diverse learning methods, you'll be counting confidently in no time. Remember to focus on pronunciation and practice combining the elements to create larger numbers. Boa sorte! (Good luck!)