Using numbers as pronouns in Spanish
Learn how to use numbers as pronouns in Spanish
In Spanish, just like in English, you can use numbers as numeric (also sometimes called numerical) pronouns.
Read and listen to these examples:
¿Cuántos libros de alemán tienes? -Tengo uno.How many German books do you have? I have one.
¿Cuántos cuadros había en la exposición? -Había cincuenta y cuatro.How many paintings were there in the exhibition? -There were fifty-four.
¿Cuántos euros te quedan en la cartera? -Me quedan ochenta.How many euros do you have left in your purse? -I have eighty left.
In the examples above, the numeric pronoun is invariable and it never changes form.
Now, look at these examples:
¿Cuántas personas acudieron a la manifestación? -Trescientas.How many people attended the demonstration? -Three hundred.
¿Cuántas esculturas viste en el museo? -Quinientas.How many sculptures did you see in the museum? -Five hundred.
¿Cuántos niños hay en ese colegio? -Setecientos.How many children are there in that school? -Seven hundred.
Note that in the examples above, whole hundreds from 200 onwards (200, 300, 400, 500, 600, etc.) agree with the noun they refer to.
Be careful because when we use "non-whole" hundreds like 203, 345, etc., the tens and units do not change, just the hundreds.
For example:
¿Cuántos hombres vinieron a la conferencia? -Seiscientos cuarenta y cinco.How many men came to the conference? -Six hundred and forty-five.
¿Cuántas mujeres vinieron a la conferencia? - Seiscientas cuarenta y cinco.How many women came to the conference? - Six hundred and forty-five.
Notice how in the examples above the number "seiscientos" changes to "seiscientas" when it refers to "women", however "cuarenta" and "cinco" remain the same for both.
See also Using plural definite article + number + noun and Using numbers with nouns in Spanish.
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