Portuguese Numbers and Counting
Learn Portuguese numbers from 1 to millions. Master counting, telling time, dates, and using numbers in everyday conversations with your partner.
Numbers are essential for daily life. From telling your partner when you will arrive home to shopping and understanding prices, Portuguese numbers are a fundamental building block. The good news is that once you learn the patterns, counting becomes straightforward.
Numbers 1-10
Start with the base forms. In Portuguese, um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, seis, sete, oito, nove, dez are the numbers you will use constantly. Notice that um changes to uma before feminine nouns, while the other numbers stay the same.
Phrase to Learn
Eu te amo um milhão de vezes
I love you a million times
[ EH-oo chee AH-moo oom mee-LYOWN deh VEH-zeez ]
A romantic way to use large numbers to express infinite love
Pronunciation: oom, doysh, trehsh
"Tenho três irmãos. (I have three siblings.)"
Pronunciation: KWAH-troo, SEEN-koo, saysh
"Cinco minutos, por favor. (Five minutes, please.)"
Pronunciation: SEH-chee, OY-too, NOH-vee, dehz
"São dez horas. (It is ten o'clock.)"
Numbers 11-20
Gender Agreement
The numbers one and two change based on gender. Use 'um/dois' for masculine nouns and 'uma/duas' for feminine nouns. For example: um livro (one book) but uma mesa (one table).
Pronunciation: ON-zee, DOH-zee, TREH-zee
"Tenho doze anos de casado. (I have been married for twelve years.)"
Pronunciation: kah-TOR-zee, KEEN-zee, deh-zeh-SAYSH
"Quinze de novembro é feriado. (November 15th is a holiday.)"
Pronunciation: deh-zeh-SEH-chee, deh-ZOY-too, deh-zeh-NOH-vee, VEEN-chee
"Ela tem dezenove anos. (She is nineteen years old.)"
Tens and Larger Numbers
Pronunciation: TREEN-tah, kwah-REN-tah, seen-KWEN-tah
"Custa cinquenta reais. (It costs fifty reais.)"
Pronunciation: seh-SEN-tah, seh-TEN-tah, oy-TEN-tah, noh-VEN-tah
"Minha avó tem oitenta anos. (My grandmother is eighty years old.)"
Pronunciation: sayn, SEN-too ee oom
"Cento e cinquenta pessoas vieram. (One hundred fifty people came.)"
Large Numbers
Pronunciation: doo-ZEN-toosh, treh-ZEN-toosh, kwah-troo-SEN-toosh
"O apartamento custa trezentos mil. (The apartment costs three hundred thousand.)"
Pronunciation: oom mee-LYOWN, oom bee-LYOWN
"O Brasil tem mais de duzentos milhões de habitantes. (Brazil has more than two hundred million inhabitants.)"
Telling Time
24-Hour Clock
Portuguese-speaking countries commonly use the 24-hour clock in formal contexts. You might hear "às quinze horas" (at 15:00) instead of "às três da tarde" (at 3 PM).
Pronunciation: kee OH-rahz sown
"Amor, que horas são? (Love, what time is it?)"
Pronunciation: sown DOO-ahz OH-rahz
"São duas horas da tarde. (It is two in the afternoon.)"
Pronunciation: eh OO-mah OH-rah
"É uma hora da manhã."
Pronunciation: MAY-ah NOY-chee / MAY-oo JEE-ah
"Nos encontramos ao meio-dia. (We will meet at noon.)"
Dates
Dates are usually written and spoken with dia + day number + de + month: dia 15 de janeiro. Use the ordinal form only for the first day: o primeiro de janeiro. In everyday speech, people often say the full date with the day first, then the month, then the year if needed.
Pronunciation: kwahl eh ah DAH-tah deh OH-zhee
"Hoje é dia quinze de janeiro. (Today is January 15th.)"
Pronunciation: oo pree-MAY-roo deh zhah-NAY-roo
"O primeiro de janeiro é feriado nacional."
Romantic Number Phrases
Pronunciation: zhah fahz doysh AH-nohs kee esh-TAH-moosh ZHOON-toosh
"Amor, já faz dois anos que estamos juntos. (Love, we have been together for two years now.)"
Pronunciation: voh-SEH eh MEH-oo NOO-meh-roo oom
"Na minha vida, você é meu número um. (In my life, you are my number one.)"
Pronunciation: meel BEH-zhoosh PAH-rah voh-SEH
"Boa noite, amor. Mil beijos para você. (Good night, love. A thousand kisses for you.)"
Practice counting during daily activities. Count steps while walking, count items while shopping, and tell your partner the time in Portuguese. Regular practice makes numbers automatic.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say my phone number in Portuguese?
To say your phone number, you typically group the digits into pairs or triplets. For example, if your number is 912345678, you might say "nove um, dois três, quatro cinco, seis sete, oito". Practice saying your phone number and your partner's phone number clearly and slowly.
How do you ask for someone's age in Portuguese?
To ask someone's age, you can say "Quantos anos você tem?" (How old are you?). A polite response would be "Tenho [number] anos" (I am [number] years old). Couples can practice asking each other's age (even if they already know!) for practice.
How do I use numbers when shopping in Portugal or Brazil?
When shopping, you'll hear prices like "Dois euros e cinquenta" (€2.50) or "Cinco reais e noventa e nove" (R$5.99). Be prepared to understand these prices and state quantities you want, such as "Quero dois" (I want two). Practice these scenarios together before your trip.
How do I say the year in Portuguese?
To say the year, you say each thousand and hundred separately. For example, 2023 is "dois mil e vinte e três." You can practice stating important dates, like birthdays or anniversaries, in Portuguese with your partner.
Are there any cultural superstitions about numbers in Portuguese-speaking countries?
In Brazil, the number 13 is considered unlucky, similar to many Western cultures. Be mindful of this when discussing dates or quantities. You can research other cultural nuances about numbers to be aware of them when interacting with locals.
