Portuguese number basics for ages, dates, and simple facts

Introduction

Learning numbers in Brazilian Portuguese unlocks everyday skills like giving your age, reading dates, and sharing simple facts. This guide teaches number basics, pronunciation hints, common phrases, and realistic examples learners can use right away.

Why numbers matter in Brazilian Portuguese

Numbers appear everywhere: calendars, menus, phone numbers, forms, bus schedules, prices, and conversations about age or time. Mastering basic cardinal and ordinal numbers helps you navigate daily situations and builds a foundation for more complex grammar and communication.

Cardinal numbers: 0 to 100 and useful patterns

Start with the most common cardinals. The first appearance of main Portuguese terms is highlighted for clarity.

zero – zero

um – one (masculine)

uma – one (feminine)

dois – two (masculine)

duas – two (feminine)

três – three

quatro – four

cinco – five

seis – six

sete – seven

oito – eight

nove – nine

dez – ten

onze – eleven

doze – twelve

treze – thirteen

quatorze – fourteen

quinze – fifteen

dezesseis – sixteen

dezessete – seventeen

dezoito – eighteen

dezenove – nineteen

vinte – twenty

vinte e um – twenty-one (pattern: vinte e dois, vinte e três, etc.)

trinta – thirty

quarenta – forty

cinquenta – fifty

sessenta – sixty

setenta – seventy

oitenta – eighty

noventa – ninety

cem – one hundred (note: cem becomes cento in numbers above 100)

Key pattern: numbers from 21 to 99 combine tens + e + units, for example vinte e três for 23.

Gender and agreement with numbers

Portuguese numbers can change by gender for 1 and 2 and for nouns that follow certain numerals. Most numbers do not change, but you must agree when counting nouns.

Use um with masculine nouns and uma with feminine nouns. Example: um livro (one book), uma cadeira (one chair).

Use dois and duas similarly: dois amigos (two friends, male or mixed), duas amigas (two female friends).

For quantities above two, numbers remain the same regardless of noun gender: três cadeiras, quatro livros.

Ordinal numbers: first, second, third

Ordinals are useful for dates, floors, and ranking. Common ordinals for beginners:

primeiro / primeira – first

segundo / segunda – second

terceiro / terceira – third

quarto / quarta – fourth

quinto / quinta – fifth

Ordinals change for gender and number: primeiro (m), primeira (f). Use ordinals when reading dates in formal speech or when describing positions: o segundo andar (the second floor).

Using numbers for ages

Asking and stating age is one of the first real-world uses. Common phrases and examples:

Quantos anos você tem? – How old are you? (formal or neutral)

Eu tenho vinte e cinco anos. – I am twenty-five years old.

Ela tem dezesseis anos. – She is sixteen years old.

Note: Use anos after the numeral. For one year say um ano or um ano de idade.

Polite variation: Qual a sua idade? – What is your age? This is seen on forms and documents.

Dates and months: reading and writing dates

Dates in Brazil usually follow day-month-year. Months are not capitalized in Portuguese. Useful vocabulary:

janeiro – January

fevereiro – February

março – March

abril – April

maio – May

junho – June

julho – July

agosto – August

setembro – September

outubro – October

novembro – November

dezembro – December

Examples for reading dates:

10 de julho de 2024 – tenth of July, 2024. Spoken: dez de julho de dois mil e vinte e quatro.

1 de maio – first of May. Spoken: primeiro de maio or just um de maio.

Short form on forms: 10/07/2024 or 01/05. When speaking, Brazilians often say day de month de year.

Telling time with numbers

Simple time expressions are essential for schedules and appointments. Key words:

hora – hour; minuto – minute

Formal clock time: São duas horas. – It is two oclock.

Examples with minutes:

São três e quinze. – It is 3:15.

São nove e meia. – It is 9:30. Alternative: nove e trinta.

Expressions for half and quarter hours: meia (half), um quarto (a quarter). Example: São quatro e um quarto. – It is 4:15.

Practical examples in everyday contexts

Examples you will see on menus, signs, messages, and schedules:

Menu price: Caipirinha – R$15,00
Spoken: quinze reais.

Phone message: Meu número é 11987654321
Spoken with pauses: um um nove – oito sete seis cinco quatro três dois um.

Bus schedule: Saída: 06:30 | Chegada: 08:45
Read as saída às seis e trinta, chegada às oito e quarenta e cinco.

Form field: Data de nascimento: 23/11/1995
Speak: vinte e três de novembro de mil novecentos e noventa e cinco.

Shopping: Promoção: 2 por 1
Meaning two for one; read as dois por um.

Common beginner phrases with numbers

Short practical phrases to memorize:

Quanto custa? – How much does it cost? Response: Custa cinquenta reais.

Que horas são? – What time is it? Response: São onze horas.

Quando é a festa? – When is the party? Response: É no dia vinte e nove de junho.

Quantos anos ele tem? – How old is he? Response: Ele tem trinta anos.

Common mistakes and beginner tips

Mistake: confusing gender for one and two. Tip: always check the noun gender; practice with common nouns like ano (m) and idade (f).

Mistake: skipping the e in compound numbers. Tip: pronounce the connector e in vinte e três to be natural and clear.

Mistake: using month names capitalized when writing in Portuguese. Tip: months are lowercase: abril, maio.

Pronunciation tip: practice the nasal vowels in numbers like vinte and cem. Listening and repeating with audio helps.

Mini practice drills

Try reading these aloud and check yourself:

1) Eu tenho dez anos.

2) São sete e quarenta e cinco.

3) Meu aniversário é em março, no dia quinze.

4) Preciso de duas cadeiras.

5) O preço é trinta e nove reais.

Useful resources for further practice

Focus on listening and speaking. Use recorded dialogs, language apps with native Brazilian voices, and simple children songs or counting videos. Practice reading local signs or form fields you encounter and say the numbers aloud to build confidence.

Conclusion

Numbers are an everyday gateway into Brazilian Portuguese: ages, dates, prices, and schedules all rely on solid number skills. Learn cardinals and ordinals, practice gender agreement for one and two, and use the realistic examples here in speech. With short daily drills and listening practice you will quickly feel comfortable using numbers in real situations.