Italian Numbers
The Italian numbers from 1 to 10 are uno (1), due (2), tre (3), quattro (4), cinque (5), sei (6), sette (7), otto (8), nove (9) and dieci (10). Zero is zero.
| Number | Italian | Say it | English |
| 0 | zero | DZEH-roh | zero |
| 1 | uno | OO-noh | one |
| 2 | due | DOO-eh | two |
| 3 | tre | treh | three |
| 4 | quattro | KWAHT-troh | four |
| 5 | cinque | CHEEN-kweh | five |
| 6 | sei | say | six |
| 7 | sette | SET-teh | seven |
| 8 | otto | OT-toh | eight |
| 9 | nove | NO-veh | nine |
| 10 | dieci | DYEH-chee | ten |
Learning how to count is one of the fundamental skills when learning a new language. Italian, like most languages, has two main types of numbers: cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers.
- Cardinal numbers are used to count things and answer “how many?”, like “one”, “two”, “three”.
- Ordinal numbers, on the other hand, are used to indicate position or rank, like “first”, “second”, “third”.
In this article, I’ll focus on cardinal numbers, specifically the ones from 1 to 10. These basic numbers will form the foundation to count in Italian and make it easier to learn larger numbers as you progress.
Numbers in Italian
Zero
Zero is the same as in English, with a slightly different sound: the z is pronounced like “dz”. It is also used in everyday speech to mean “none at all”.
Fuori ci sono zero gradi.
It is zero degrees outside.
Zero problemi!
No problem at all!
Uno
Uno is both a number and an indefinite article. As an article, it changes to un before most masculine nouns (un bicchiere), to uno before masculine nouns that start with z or s + consonant (uno zaino, uno studente), and to una before feminine nouns (una mela).
Un bicchiere, per favore.
One glass, please.
Due
Due remains the same regardless of the gender of the noun that follows.
Vorrei due caffè, grazie.
I’d like two coffees, thank you.
Tre
Abbiamo tre gatti a casa.
We have three cats at home.
Quattro
Ci sono quattro persone al tavolo.
There are four people at the table.
Cinque
Ho comprato cinque mele.
I bought five apples.
Sei
If you are already familiar with the verb essere in Italian, you might have noticed that sei can also mean “you are”, so context is crucial to distinguish between the two meanings.
Abbiamo sei sedie.
We have six chairs.
Ho sei anni.
I am six years old.
Sei stanco?
Are you tired?
Sette
Sette giorni alla settimana.
Seven days in a week.
Otto
Otto ore di sonno sono ideali.
Eight hours of sleep are ideal.
Nove
Sono le nove di mattina.
It’s 9 a.m.
Dieci
Dieci minuti e sono pronta.
Ten minutes and I’m ready.
Pronunciation Tips for Italian Numbers
- Double consonants: in sette, otto and quattro hold the double consonant a fraction longer than a single one.
- Hard and soft sounds: the c in cinque and dieci sounds like “ch”, and the qu in quattro and cinque sounds like “kw”.
- Final vowels: always pronounce them. Nove ends in “eh”, not in a silent “e”.
- One syllable, two syllables: sei and tre are short and quick, while due has two clear vowels: DOO-eh.
Practise the Numbers 1-10
Now use the numbers in real sentences. Read the Italian aloud, then cover the English and translate it.
Quanti anni hai?
How old are you?
Ho dieci anni.
I am ten years old.
Conta fino a dieci.
Count to ten.
Uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei, sette, otto, nove, dieci.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Ci vediamo alle sette.
See you at seven.
Counting Beyond 10
From undici (11) onwards, Italian numbers follow clear patterns, and my guide to how to count in Italian takes you all the way up. One detail to remember already: in compound numbers such as ventitré (23), tre takes an accent.
You Count!
However you mean this sentence, it is true. You’re learning new topics day by day, and now you can also count them!
Numbers are extremely useful to tell the time in Italian, to say the date, and, in general, to have an idea of quantities that surround you.
Going to the grocery shop will be easier, as well as buying tickets, or just arranging a date. Practice daily and you’ll be ready to count in Italian!
