Lesson 2: Numbers & Essential Verbs for Everyday Actions
Master counting from 0-100 and learn the 15 most common Spanish verbs you'll use in daily situations. From ordering two coffees to saying what you want, this lesson gets you speaking about real actions.
Lesson 2: Numbers & Essential Verbs for Everyday Actions 🔢💬
Introduction: Why Numbers and Verbs Matter
Welcome back! You've mastered greetings, and now it's time to do things and count things in Spanish. This lesson combines two absolute essentials:
🔢 Numbers (0-100): Order food, tell time, shop, give your phone number, talk about age 💪 Action Verbs: Express what you do, want, have, need, and more
Think about your first day in a Spanish-speaking country. You'll need to say "I want two coffees" or "I have three suitcases" or "I need five minutes." These aren't separate skills—numbers and verbs work together in almost every basic conversation.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't try to memorize lists! Instead, we'll use these words in real situations so your brain connects them to actions and contexts, not just translations.
Part 1: Numbers 0-100 (Los Números) 🔢
The Foundation: 0-15
These first sixteen numbers are unique—memorize them as building blocks for everything else.
+--------+----------+---------------+
| Number | Spanish | Pronunciation |
+--------+----------+---------------+
| 0 | cero | SEH-roh |
| 1 | uno | OO-noh |
| 2 | dos | dohs |
| 3 | tres | trehs |
| 4 | cuatro | KWAH-troh |
| 5 | cinco | SEEN-koh |
| 6 | seis | sayss |
| 7 | siete | see-EH-teh |
| 8 | ocho | OH-choh |
| 9 | nueve | noo-EH-veh |
| 10 | diez | dee-EHS |
| 11 | once | OHN-seh |
| 12 | doce | DOH-seh |
| 13 | trece | TREH-seh |
| 14 | catorce | kah-TOR-seh |
| 15 | quince | KEEN-seh |
+--------+----------+---------------+
🧠 Mnemonic Devices:
- Uno sounds like "oo-no" (one "oh no!" moment)
- Dos → "dose" (two pills in a dose)
- Cuatro → "quattro" (Italian/Latin root, like "quarter" = 4)
- Once → "ounce" (11 sounds like "once")
The Pattern: 16-29
From 16-19, Spanish combines numbers: dieci + number (ten + number) From 21-29: veinti + number (twenty + number)
+--------+-------------------+------------------+
| Number | Spanish | Literal Meaning |
+--------+-------------------+------------------+
| 16 | dieciséis | ten-and-six |
| 17 | diecisiete | ten-and-seven |
| 18 | dieciocho | ten-and-eight |
| 19 | diecinueve | ten-and-nine |
| 20 | veinte | twenty |
| 21 | veintiuno | twenty-one |
| 22 | veintidós | twenty-two |
| 23 | veintitrés | twenty-three |
| 24 | veinticuatro | twenty-four |
| 25 | veinticinco | twenty-five |
| 26 | veintiséis | twenty-six |
| 27 | veintisiete | twenty-seven |
| 28 | veintiocho | twenty-eight |
| 29 | veintinueve | twenty-nine |
+--------+-------------------+------------------+
⚠️ Notice: The accent marks on dieciséis, veintidós, veintitrés, and veintiséis matter for pronunciation!
The Tens: 30-100
From 30 onwards, Spanish uses y (and) to connect tens and ones: treinta y uno (30 + and + 1 = 31)
+--------+-----------+---------------+
| Number | Spanish | Example |
+--------+-----------+---------------+
| 30 | treinta | treinta y uno (31) |
| 40 | cuarenta | cuarenta y dos (42) |
| 50 | cincuenta | cincuenta y tres (53) |
| 60 | sesenta | sesenta y cuatro (64) |
| 70 | setenta | setenta y cinco (75) |
| 80 | ochenta | ochenta y seis (86) |
| 90 | noventa | noventa y siete (97) |
| 100 | cien | cien (exactly 100) |
+--------+-----------+---------------+
💡 Pattern Recognition: Notice how the tens relate to their root numbers?
- cuarenta (40) ← cuatro (4)
- cincuenta (50) ← cinco (5)
- sesenta (60) ← seis (6)
- ochenta (80) ← ocho (8)
🤔 Did You Know? The word cien (100) changes to ciento when followed by other numbers: ciento uno (101), ciento cincuenta (150).
🎭 Real-World Scenario: At the Market
Setting: You're at a fruit stand in Barcelona.
Vendor: ¡Hola! ¿Qué necesitas? (Hello! What do you need?)
You: Quiero tres manzanas. (I want three apples.)
Vendor: ¿Algo más? (Anything else?)
You: Sí, dos kilos de naranjas. (Yes, two kilos of oranges.)
Vendor: Son ocho euros. (That's eight euros.)
You: Aquí tiene diez euros. (Here's ten euros.)
Vendor: Tu cambio: dos euros. ¡Gracias! (Your change: two euros. Thank you!)
Part 2: Essential Action Verbs (Verbos Esenciales) 💪
Verbs are the engine of sentences. In Spanish, verbs change their endings based on who is doing the action. Don't worry—we'll start simple!
The Most Important Word: SER (to be - permanent)
Ser describes permanent characteristics: nationality, profession, personality.
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| Person | Ser | Example |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| yo | soy | Soy estudiante |
| (I) | | (I am a student) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| tú | eres | Eres inteligente |
| (you) | | (You are smart) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| él/ella | es | Ella es doctora |
| (he/she) | | (She is a doctor) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| nosotros | somos | Somos amigos |
| (we) | | (We are friends) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| ellos/ellas| son | Son de México |
| (they) | | (They are from MX) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
🗣️ Pronunciation:
- soy = soy (like English "soy" milk)
- eres = EH-res
- es = ess
- somos = SOH-mohs
- son = sohn
The Second Most Important: ESTAR (to be - temporary)
Estar describes temporary states: location, mood, condition.
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| Person | Estar | Example |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| yo | estoy | Estoy cansado |
| (I) | | (I am tired) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| tú | estás | Estás aquí |
| (you) | | (You are here) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| él/ella | está | Él está feliz |
| (he/she) | | (He is happy) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| nosotros | estamos| Estamos en casa |
| (we) | | (We are at home) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
| ellos/ellas| están | Están ocupados |
| (they) | | (They are busy) |
+------------+--------+--------------------+
🆚 SER vs. ESTAR: The Classic Confusion!
Soy feliz = I am a happy person (personality)
Estoy feliz = I am happy right now (mood)
Es aburrido = He is boring (permanent trait)
Está aburrido = He is bored (temporary feeling)
💡 Memory Trick: ESTAR has locations and emotions that can change. SER is for who you fundamentally ARE.
The Action Starter Pack: 13 More Essential Verbs
Let's focus on the yo (I) and tú (you) forms—the ones you'll use most!
+----------------+----------+--------+------------------+
| Infinitive | Yo | Tú | Meaning |
+----------------+----------+--------+------------------+
| TENER (to have)| tengo | tienes | I have/you have |
| HACER (to do) | hago | haces | I do/you do |
| QUERER (to want)| quiero | quieres| I want/you want |
| PODER (can) | puedo | puedes | I can/you can |
| IR (to go) | voy | vas | I go/you go |
| VER (to see) | veo | ves | I see/you see |
| DAR (to give) | doy | das | I give/you give |
| SABER (to know)| sé | sabes | I know/you know |
| HABLAR (speak) | hablo | hablas | I speak/you speak|
| COMER (to eat) | como | comes | I eat/you eat |
| VIVIR (to live)| vivo | vives | I live/you live |
| NECESITAR (need)| necesito| necesitas| I need/you need|
| LLAMARSE (name)| me llamo | te llamas| I'm called/named|
+----------------+----------+--------+------------------+
⚠️ Irregular Alert! Notice how some verbs don't follow a predictable pattern:
- TENER: tengo (not "teno")
- HACER: hago (not "haco")
- IR: voy (completely different from "ir"!)
These are high-frequency irregulars—you'll see them everywhere, so they're worth memorizing.
🎭 Real-World Scenario: Meeting a New Friend
Setting: A café in Madrid. You meet Carmen, a local.
Carmen: Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? (Hi, what's your name?)
You: Me llamo [your name]. ¿Y tú? (My name is [your name]. And you?)
Carmen: Soy Carmen. ¿De dónde eres? (I'm Carmen. Where are you from?)
You: Soy de Estados Unidos. (I'm from the United States.)
Carmen: ¿Hablas español? (Do you speak Spanish?)
You: Sí, hablo un poco. (Yes, I speak a little.)
Carmen: ¡Muy bien! ¿Tienes hambre? (Very good! Are you hungry?)
You: Sí, quiero comer algo. (Yes, I want to eat something.)
Carmen: ¿Puedes comer jamón? (Can you eat ham?)
You: Sí, puedo. (Yes, I can.)
💬 Analysis: Notice how this simple conversation uses 7 different verbs:
- llamarse (to be called)
- ser (to be)
- hablar (to speak)
- tener (to have)
- querer (to want)
- poder (to can)
- comer (to eat)
Verb + Number Combinations: The Power Duo! 🔢💪
Here's where numbers and verbs unite:
TENER + number + noun:
- Tengo dos hermanos (I have two siblings)
- Tienes tres gatos (You have three cats)
- Tengo veinte años (I have twenty years = I'm 20 years old)
QUERER + number + noun:
- Quiero un café (I want one coffee)
- Quiero cinco minutos (I want five minutes)
NECESITAR + number + noun:
- Necesito dos euros (I need two euros)
- Necesitas diez dólares (You need ten dollars)
🔤 Etymology Connection:
- TENER → "to have" relates to "tenacious" (holding on)
- QUERER → "to want" relates to "query" (asking for something)
- PODER → "can/power" is literally "power" in English!
Part 3: Putting It All Together 🎯
Common Expressions Using Numbers + Verbs
These are ready-to-use phrases you'll hear constantly:
Age:
- ¿Cuántos años tienes? = How old are you? (literally: How many years do you have?)
- Tengo veinticinco años = I'm 25 years old
Quantity:
- Quiero dos cervezas = I want two beers
- Necesito tres días = I need three days
- Hay cuatro personas = There are four people
Time:
- Son las cinco = It's 5 o'clock
- Necesito diez minutos = I need ten minutes
Money:
- Cuesta ocho euros = It costs eight euros
- Tengo veinte dólares = I have twenty dollars
📖 Mini-Story: Using All Our Vocabulary
Un Día en la Ciudad (A Day in the City)
Me llamo Ana. Soy de España y tengo veintitrés años. Estoy en Barcelona hoy.
Necesito comprar tres cosas: pan, leche y café. Voy al supermercado. El pan cuesta dos euros. La leche cuesta uno con cincuenta. El café cuesta cinco euros.
Puedo pagar con diez euros. El empleado me da uno con cincuenta de cambio.
Quiero comer algo. Veo un restaurante. Hago una reserva para las siete. Hablo con el mesero. Él es muy amable.
¡Estoy feliz! Sé que Barcelona es una ciudad bonita. Vivo aquí y me encanta.
Translation & Verb Count: My name is Ana. I am from Spain and I'm (have) 23 years old. I am in Barcelona today.
I need to buy three things: bread, milk, and coffee. I go to the supermarket. The bread costs two euros. The milk costs one fifty. The coffee costs five euros.
I can pay with ten euros. The employee gives me one fifty in change.
I want to eat something. I see a restaurant. I make a reservation for 7 o'clock. I speak with the waiter. He is very kind.
I am happy! I know that Barcelona is a pretty city. I live here and I love it.
Verbs used: llamarse, ser (×2), tener, estar (×2), necesitar, ir, costar (×3), poder, dar, querer, comer, ver, hacer, hablar, saber, vivir = 17 different verbs!
Numbers used: 23, 3, 2, 1, 50, 5, 10, 7 = counting and prices throughout!
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Confusing SER and ESTAR
❌ Soy en Madrid → ✅ Estoy en Madrid (location = estar) ❌ Estoy estudiante → ✅ Soy estudiante (profession = ser)
Fix: Ask yourself: "Can this change easily?" If yes → ESTAR. If no → SER.
Mistake #2: Forgetting Verb Conjugations
❌ Yo es → ✅ Yo soy ❌ Tú tengo → ✅ Tú tienes
Fix: Memorize the "yo" and "tú" forms as pairs: soy/eres, tengo/tienes, quiero/quieres.
Mistake #3: Number Agreement with UNO
❌ Uno personas → ✅ Una persona (feminine) ❌ Veintiuno euros → ✅ Veintiún euros (masculine, shortened)
Fix: Uno changes to una before feminine nouns and drops the "o" before masculine nouns in compounds (21, 31, etc.).
Mistake #4: Pronouncing "V" like English "V"
❌ voy (with "v" sound) → ✅ voy (with soft "b" sound: BOY)
Fix: In Spanish, v and b sound almost identical—like a soft "b."
Mistake #5: Saying Numbers Too Fast
❌ Rushing through "cincuenta" → sounds like "cuenta" (account)
Fix: Practice numbers slowly: ceen-KWEN-tah. Emphasize each syllable.
Mistake #6: Using English Word Order
❌ Tengo años veinte → ✅ Tengo veinte años (number comes BEFORE noun)
Fix: Spanish uses the same order as English for numbers + nouns!
💡 Key Takeaways
✅ Numbers 0-15 are completely unique—memorize them first
✅ 16-29 follow patterns (dieci-, veinti-) but are written as one word
✅ 30+ use "y" (and) to connect: cuarenta y cinco
✅ SER = permanent (nationality, profession, personality)
✅ ESTAR = temporary (location, mood, condition)
✅ High-frequency verbs (tener, hacer, querer, poder, ir) are often irregular but essential
✅ Numbers + verbs create powerful combinations: Tengo dos, Quiero tres, Necesito cinco
✅ Practice verbs in context (scenarios, dialogues) rather than just memorizing lists
✅ The yo and tú forms are your priority—you'll use them in 80% of beginner conversations
🔧 Try This: Your Turn!
Before moving on, practice these out loud:
- Say your age: Tengo ___ años
- Order something: Quiero ___ [item]
- Say where you are: Estoy en ___
- Say what you can do: Puedo ___
- Count to 20 in Spanish without looking!
📋 Quick Reference Card
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ NUMBERS & VERBS CHEAT SHEET ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ NUMBERS ║
║ 1-10: uno dos tres cuatro cinco seis siete ║
║ ocho nueve diez ║
║ 11-15: once doce trece catorce quince ║
║ 20: veinte | 30: treinta | 40: cuarenta ║
║ 50: cincuenta | 60: sesenta | 70: setenta ║
║ 80: ochenta | 90: noventa | 100: cien ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ MUST-KNOW VERBS (YO/TÚ) ║
║ SER: soy/eres (permanent) ║
║ ESTAR: estoy/estás (temporary, location) ║
║ TENER: tengo/tienes (to have) ║
║ QUERER: quiero/quieres (to want) ║
║ PODER: puedo/puedes (can) ║
║ HACER: hago/haces (to do) ║
║ IR: voy/vas (to go) ║
║ NECESITAR: necesito/necesitas (to need) ║
║ HABLAR: hablo/hablas (to speak) ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ POWER COMBINATIONS ║
║ Tengo ___ años = I'm ___ years old ║
║ Quiero ___ = I want ___ ║
║ Necesito ___ = I need ___ ║
║ Puedo ___ = I can ___ ║
║ Estoy en ___ = I'm in/at ___ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
🎭 Cultural Context: Numbers in Spanish-Speaking Countries
Phone Numbers: In Spain and Latin America, phone numbers are often said in pairs:
- 91-555-1234 → "noventa y uno, cinco cinco cinco, doce treinta y cuatro"
Age: Unlike English "I am 20," Spanish says "I have 20 years" (Tengo veinte años). This reflects a different cultural perspective on age—you accumulate years like possessions!
Dates: The day comes before the month: 5/3 = March 5th = "cinco de marzo"
Prices: In Spain, you'll often hear prices with "con" (with) for cents: "dos con cincuenta" = 2.50 euros
🤔 Did You Know? In some Latin American countries, people use their fingers differently to count! Instead of starting with the index finger, many start with the thumb as "one."
📚 Further Study
SpanishDict Verb Conjugator - https://www.spanishdict.com/conjugate - Practice conjugating any verb in all forms
Duolingo Numbers Practice - https://www.duolingo.com - Interactive listening exercises for numbers
StudySpanish.com Verb Lessons - https://www.studyspanish.com/verbs - Detailed explanations of ser vs. estar and other essential verbs
¡Excelente trabajo! You now have the building blocks to talk about quantities, ages, prices, and everyday actions. In Lesson 3, we'll explore time expressions and daily routines so you can talk about what you do throughout your day. Keep practicing those verb forms—they're the key to everything! 🚀