Learning Portuguese numbers is one of the fastest ways to improve fluency, confidence, and comprehension. Numbers appear everywhere: prices, dates, time, phone numbers, addresses, percentages, math, and money.
1. Cardinal Numbers (Números Cardinais)
Used for counting and quantity.
0–10
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 0 | zero |
| 1 | um / uma |
| 2 | dois / duas |
| 3 | três |
| 4 | quatro |
| 5 | cinco |
| 6 | seis |
| 7 | sete |
| 8 | oito |
| 9 | nove |
| 10 | dez |
Gender matters:
- um livro (masculine)
- uma casa (feminine)
@fluentinportuguese.com Numbers in Portuguese: 0 to 10 #learnportuguese #numbersinportuguese #numberinbrazilianportuguese #brazilianportuguese #fluentinportuguese ♬ Walking Around – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem
11–19
| Portuguese | |
|---|---|
| 11 | onze |
| 12 | doze |
| 13 | treze |
| 14 | quatorze/catorze |
| 15 | quinze |
| 16 | dezesseis |
| 17 | dezessete |
| 18 | dezoito |
| 19 | dezenove |
@fluentinportuguese.com Number 11-19 in portuguese #learnportuguese #fluentinportuguese #numbersinportuguese #numbersinbrazilianportuguese #brazilianportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
Tens, Hundreds & Thousands
| Number | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 20 | vinte |
| 30 | trinta |
| 40 | quarenta |
| 50 | cinquenta |
| 100 | cem |
| 101 | cento e um |
| 200 | duzentos |
| 1,000 | mil |
| 1,000,000 | um milhão |
Rule: Portuguese uses “e” (and)
👉 trinta e cinco (35)
Tens, hundreds and thousands in Portuguese.
In Brazil, a period (.) is used to separate thousands in numbers, instead of a comma (,).
Example:
• Brazil: 1.234.567
• United States: 1,234,567
@fluentinportuguese.com Tens, hundreds and thousands in Portuguese. In Brazil, a period (.) is used to separate thousands in numbers, instead of a comma (,). Example: • Brazil: 1.234.567 • United States: 1,234,567 #fluentinportuguese #learnportuguese #learnbrazilianportuguese #numberinportuguese #numbersinbrazilianportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
2. Ordinal Numbers (Números Ordinais)
Used for order and ranking.
Ordinal numbers in Portuguese. Male: 1° (primeiro); female 1ª (primeira).
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| First | primeiro |
| Second | segundo |
| Third | terceiro |
| Fourth | quarto |
| Fifth | quinto |
| Tenth | décimo |
Example:
- o primeiro dia
- a segunda vez
@fluentinportuguese.com Ordinal numbers in Portuguese. Male: 1° (primeiro); female 1ª (primeira). #learnportuguese #fluentinportuguese #fluentportuguese #numbersinportuguese #ordinalnumbersinportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
3. Fractional Numbers (Números Fracionários)
Used for fractions.
| Fraction | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| ½ | meio / meia |
| ⅓ | um terço |
| ¼ | um quarto |
| ¾ | três quartos |
Example:
- meio quilo
- um terço do bolo
@fluentinportuguese.com Fractional number in Portuguese – Números fracionais #fluentinportuguese #fluentportuguese #numbersinportuguese #fractionalnumbersinportuguese #learnportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
4. Decimal Numbers (Números Decimais)
Portuguese uses a comma, not a dot.
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1,5 (um vírgula cinco) |
| 2.75 | 2,75 |
Example:
- dois vírgula cinco litros
The Difference Between . and , in Numbers Portuguese.
English vs. Brazil
One common source of confusion for language learners is how numbers are written differently in English and in Brazil. The symbols are the same, but their functions are reversed.
English (United States, UK, and most English-speaking countries)
• Comma (,) → separates thousands
• Period (.) → separates decimals
Examples:
• One thousand: 1,000
• One million: 1,000,000
• One and a half: 1.5
• One thousand and seventy-five cents: 1,000.75
Brazil (Portuguese number format)
• Period (.) → separates thousands
• Comma (,) → separates decimals
Examples:
• Mil: 1.000
• Um milhão: 1.000.000
• Um e meio: 1,5
• Mil e setenta e cinco centavos: 1.000,75
⚠️ Why this matters
This difference is very important in:
• Finance and banking
• Prices and contracts
• Academic work and data analysis
• International forms and applications
Example of a serious mistake:
• 1.500
• In Brazil: one thousand five hundred
• In English: one point five
Same number, completely different meaning.
✅ Quick comparison
• English: 1,234.56
• Brazil: 1.234,56
Final tip
When reading numbers in another language, always check which system is being used before assuming the value.
@fluentinportuguese.com Decimal numbers in Portuguese. The Difference Between . and , in Numbers Portuguese. English vs. Brazil One common source of confusion for language learners is how numbers are written differently in English and in Brazil. The symbols are the same, but their functions are reversed. 🇺🇸 English (United States, UK, and most English-speaking countries) • Comma (,) → separates thousands • Period (.) → separates decimals Examples: • One thousand: 1,000 • One million: 1,000,000 • One and a half: 1.5 • One thousand and seventy-five cents: 1,000.75 🇧🇷 Brazil (Portuguese number format) • Period (.) → separates thousands • Comma (,) → separates decimals Examples: • Mil: 1.000 • Um milhão: 1.000.000 • Um e meio: 1,5 • Mil e setenta e cinco centavos: 1.000,75 ⚠️ Why this matters This difference is very important in: • Finance and banking • Prices and contracts • Academic work and data analysis • International forms and applications Example of a serious mistake: • 1.500 • In Brazil: one thousand five hundred • In English: one point five Same number, completely different meaning. ✅ Quick comparison • English: 1,234.56 • Brazil: 1.234,56 Final tip When reading numbers in another language, always check which system is being used before assuming the value. #fluentinportuguese #fluentportuguese #learnportuguese #numbersinportuguese #decimalnumbersinportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
5. Percentages (Porcentagem)
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 10% | dez por cento |
| 50% | cinquenta por cento |
Example:
- desconto de vinte por cento
@fluentinportuguese.com Read percentage in Portuguese #fluentinportuguese #fluentportuguese #numbersinportuguese #percentageinportuguese #learnportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
6. Dates & Years
Dates follow day / month / year.
| Example | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 01/01/2026 | primeiro de janeiro de dois mil e vinte e seis |
Years are read in full, not split like in English.
@fluentinportuguese.com Date format in Brazil day/month/year #dateinBrazil #brazildate #brazildateformat #learnportuguese #fluentinportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
7. Time & Clock Numbers
| Time | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | sete horas |
| 7:15 | sete e quinze |
| 7:30 | sete e meia |
| 7:45 | oito menos quinze |
@fluentinportuguese.com Hours in Portuguese #hoursinportuguese #fluentinportuguese #fluentportuguese #hourinportuguese #learnportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
8. Phone Numbers & Addresses
Numbers are read digit by digit.
Example:
- 987-654-321 → nove oito sete, seis cinco quatro, três dois um
@fluentinportuguese.com Other way to says Six/Seis in Portuguese. Half (dozen) = meia (dúzia). This half means seis, people use this a lot when they’re telling phone numbers. #phonenumberinportuguese #askingphonenumberinportuguese #numbersinportuguese #fluentinportuguese #learnportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
Other way to says Six/Seis in Portuguese. Half (dozen) = meia (dúzia). This half means seis, people use this a lot when they’re telling phone numbers.
9. Large Numbers (Milhões & Bilhões)
| Number | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 1 million | um milhão |
| 2 million | dois milhões |
| 1 billion | um bilhão |
⚠️ Portuguese bilhão = 1,000,000,000 (same as US English)
10. Mathematical Numbers
| Symbol | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| + | mais |
| − | menos |
| × | vezes |
| ÷ | dividido por |
Observation: do not confuse mas (but), with mais (plus, addition).
Example:
- dois vezes três é seis
@fluentinportuguese.com Basic math symbols in Portuguese. Observation: do not confuse mas (but), with mais (plus, addition). #mathinportuguese #learnportuguese #fluentinportuguese #calculatinginportuguese #numbersinportuguese ♬ original sound – Ramon Cristian
How to Master Portuguese Numbers Fast
✔️ Practice daily counting
✔️ Read prices and dates aloud
✔️ Watch Brazilian or Portuguese content
✔️ Write numbers in sentences
✔️ Practice both spoken and written forms
