1. Cardinal Numbers
Cardinal numbers tell "how many" (quantity, counting, age, phone numbers).
Los números cardinales nos dicen "cuánto" (cantidad, contar, edad, números de teléfono).
Reglas:
- Números compuestos (21-99): siempre utilizan un guión. Ej: twenty-one, fifty-six, ninety-nine).
- Cientos y miles: no se agrega una "s" final cuando está precedido de un número específico. Ej: Se dice three hundred cars, no three hundreds cars. En español sí se pone en plural. Ej: trescientos autos.
- En inglés americano no se utiliza "and" para números grandes. Ej: 120 es one hundred twenty, no one hundred and twenty. Es igual al español: ciento veinte. Ojo: Se dice "one hundred twenty" no solo "hundred twenty".
- En inglés americano, cero se dice "zero" (pronunciado ciro). Pero si aparece en un número de teléfono se pronuncia como la letra "O" (pronunciado ou).
Common American English (AmE) Pronunciation Notes:
- -teen vs. -ty: Stress placement is essential to avoid misunderstandings:
thirTEEN / fourTEEN vs. THIR-ty / FOR-ty. - Flap T / Dropped T: In natural American speech, twenty often sounds like "twen-ny" and thirty sounds like "thir-dy".
2. Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers tell "which order" or position in a sequence (dates, floors, rankings).
Los números ordinales nos dicen "qué orden" o posición tienen en una secuencia (fechas, pisos, rankings).
Salvo los primeros tres, los demás números cardinales se escriben agregando -th después de la cifra. Ej: 34th, 346th, 8th.
Cuidado: los primeros tres números ordinales y las cifras que se forman con ellos se escriben de manera diferente. Ej: 1st, 31st, 2nd, 52nd, 3rd, 83rd.
Mucho Cuidado: 11 es eleventh, 11th (no 11st), 12 es twelfth, 12th (no 12nd), 13 es thirteenth, 13th (no 13rd).
Reglas importantes:
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Definite Article: We almost always use the before ordinal numbers (e.g., She is on the second floor).
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Dates in English: Written as October 3rd or October 3, but pronounced with the ordinal number: "October the third" or "the third of October".
Exercise 1: Cardinal or Ordinal?
Complete each sentence with the correct written word form of the number in parentheses:
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I have ________ (3) roommates in my apartment.
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My office is located on the ________ (2) floor.
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Thanksgiving is on the ________ (4) Thursday of November.
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There are ________ (12) months in a calendar year.
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This is her ________ (1) time visiting New York City.
Exercise 2: American English Dates & Numbers
Write the following items as complete English words following standard American rules:
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$165$ (number) $\rightarrow$ __________________________________________
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October 31st (date) $\rightarrow$ __________________________________________
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$40$ (number) $\rightarrow$ __________________________________________
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February 22nd (date) $\rightarrow$ __________________________________________
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9th (ordinal) $\rightarrow$ __________________________________________
Answer Key (Respuestas)
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Exercise 1: 1. three | 2. second | 3. fourth | 4. twelve | 5. first
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Exercise 2:
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one hundred sixty-five (no "and")
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October thirty-first
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forty (no "u")
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February twenty-second
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ninth (no "e")
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