Introduction
Numbers are everywhere in daily life: phone numbers, ages, prices, schedules, and addresses. For complete beginners learning Brazilian Portuguese, understanding how to use numbers when giving basic information is one of the fastest ways to communicate effectively. This article explains pronunciation basics, common phrases, and practical examples you can start using right away.
Why numbers matter in beginner Portuguese
Numbers allow you to share essential personal details and understand common signs and forms. At the most basic level you will need numbers to say your phone number, age, apartment number, time of an appointment, price of an item, and dates. Learning the structure and typical expressions saves confusion and builds confidence in everyday interactions.
Essential number vocabulary (0–20)
Here are the most important numbers you will use first. The first time each Portuguese word appears it is highlighted.
zero – 0
um – 1 (use uma for feminine nouns)
dois – 2 (use duas for feminine nouns)
três – 3
quatro – 4
cinco – 5
seis – 6
sete – 7
oito – 8
nove – 9
dez – 10
onze – 11
doze – 12
treze – 13
quatorze or catorze – 14
quinze – 15
dezesseis – 16
dezessete – 17
dezoito – 18
dezenove – 19
vinte – 20
Counting tens and hundreds
After 20 you form numbers by combining tens and units. Here are the tens and the hundreds you will see frequently.
trinta – 30
quarenta – 40
cinquenta – 50
sessenta – 60
setenta – 70
oitenta – 80
noventa – 90
cem – 100 (use cento when followed by other numbers, e.g., cento e cinco)
cento – 100 as part of numbers above 100
duzentos – 200 (use duzentas for feminine nouns)
trezentos – 300
quatrocentos – 400
Pronunciation tips for beginners
Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation differs from English. Keep these beginner-friendly tips in mind when saying numbers aloud.
Vowels are generally clear. For example, cinco sounds like seen-ko, not sin-ko.
The letter r at the beginning or between vowels can sound like /h/ in many Brazilian accents. For instance, quatro may sound like kwah-tro or kwah-hro.
The sound for ão in words like milhão is nasal; beginners should practice lightly nasalizing: milhão ~ mee-lyown (nasal).
How to say phone numbers
Phone numbers are given digit by digit. Use cardinal numbers for each digit, and separate groups naturally. Example formats are flexible in conversation.
Example: For the number 11 98765-4321 you would say
onze nove oito sete seis cinco quatro três dois um
Beginners often group the first two digits if they refer to area codes: you can say onze then read the rest digit by digit.
How to give your age
To tell someone your age, use the verb ter (to have) rather than English to be. The structure is: eu tenho [number] anos.
Example: I am 28 years old — eu tenho vinte e oito anos
Note that anos means years. Do not use year words incorrectly; anos is always plural for ages above one.
Prices and shopping
When speaking about prices, use reais for Brazilian currency. The abbreviation R$ is used in writing, but in speech say reais. Use reais and centavos for amounts with cents.
Example: R$ 12,50 — doze reais e cinquenta centavos
When prices are whole reais, simply say the number and reais: R$ 5,00 — cinco reais
Giving times and schedules
Be careful with how the 24-hour clock and colloquial expressions are used. Both the 24-hour format and the 12-hour format are common. Use horas to state the hour, and use e for minutes.
Example: 3:15 PM — três e quinze or quinze e quinze can be confusing; stick to horas format — quinze horas e quinze minutos for 15:15 in formal contexts.
More common in conversation: 8:30 AM — oito e meia (meia means half past).
Addresses and apartment numbers
Addresses use rua for street and número for number. The apartment abbreviation is apto or apartamento. Use cardinal numbers for house numbers and ordinals for floors sometimes.
Example: Rua das Flores, 123, apto 45 — rua das Flores, número cento e vinte e três, apartamento quarenta e cinco
To say floor 3 you can say terceiro andar or terceiro andar, but many Brazilians just say the number with andar: andar três.
Dates and days
Dates in Brazilian Portuguese follow day-month-year. The most common way to say a date aloud is using cardinal numbers for the day and the name of the month.
Example: 05/07/2024 — cinco de julho de dois mil e vinte e quatro
Note: Months are not capitalized in Portuguese: julho, agosto, setembro. For simple scheduling, say the day and month: vinte e três de junho.
Common phrases using numbers
Here are practical short phrases that beginners will use often. The first appearance of each main Portuguese phrase is bolded.
Qual é o seu número de telefone? – What is your phone number?
Meu número é 21 99999-8888 – My number is 21 99999-8888
Quantos anos você tem? – How old are you?
Eu tenho 30 anos – I am 30 years old
Quanto custa? – How much does it cost?
Quanto é? is another natural way to ask the price
É 25 reais – It is 25 reais
A que horas é? – What time is it?/When is it?
É às 14 horas – It is at 2 PM
Practical examples for beginners
These realistic scenarios show how numbers appear in everyday interactions.
At a bakery: Você quer quanto de pão? — Quero dois pães.
Cashier: Isso dá dez reais e cinquenta centavos.
On a bus: A passagem custa cinco reais.
Announcer: Próxima parada, centro, desembarque.
Booking a table: Para quantas pessoas? — Para quatro pessoas.
Host: Seu nome e número de telefone, por favor? — Meu nome é Ana. Meu número é 11 98888-7777.
Beginner tips and common mistakes
Focus on clarity and simple patterns rather than trying to memorize many exceptions at once.
Tip 1: Read phone numbers digit by digit. When in doubt, slow down and repeat each digit.
Tip 2: Use eu tenho for ages, not eu sou. Saying eu sou 20 can be understood, but the natural phrasing is eu tenho 20 anos.
Tip 3: Pay attention to gender agreement for numbers two and beyond when they modify feminine nouns: duas and duzentas for feminine nouns.
Common mistake: Confusing cento and cem. Use cem for exactly 100 and cento for numbers like 101 (cento e um).
Common mistake: Saying minutes without horas. For example, instead of saying oito e meia, beginners sometimes say oito meia — always include the verb phrase or horas when needed: oito e meia or oito horas e trinta minutos.
Quick practice exercises
Try these short tasks aloud to build muscle memory with numbers. Answers are below each item so you can check right away.
1) Say your phone number digit by digit: e.g., 21 91234-5678 — dois um nove um dois três quatro cinco seis sete oito
2) Tell your age: e.g., 27 — eu tenho vinte e sete anos
3) Give a price: R$ 3,75 — três reais e setenta e cinco centavos
4) State a time: 7:45 — sete e quarenta e cinco or conversationally oito menos quinze (quarter to eight)
Resources for continued learning
To reinforce numbers, use real materials: read menus, practice filling simple forms in Brazilian Portuguese, listen to phone numbers in Brazilian radio or podcasts, and repeat times and prices when shopping. Flashcards for digits and frequent practice with short, realistic dialogs are especially effective for beginners.
Conclusion
Learning how to use Brazilian Portuguese numbers for basic information helps you handle common daily situations like giving your phone number, telling your age, stating prices, or arranging a meeting. Start with 0–20 and the tens, practice key phrases such as eu tenho for age and quanto custa for prices, and use the realistic examples in this article to build confidence quickly.
