Inklingo
← Dictionary

cuarenta

/kwah-REHN-tah/

forty

A precise and clear arrangement of forty identical bright yellow stars against a solid blue background, illustrating the quantity of forty.

Forty stars are shown, illustrating 'cuarenta' as a cardinal number.

cuarenta(Adjective)

InvariableA1

forty

?

cardinal number

📝 In Action

Mi abuela tiene cuarenta y dos años de experiencia.

A1

My grandmother has forty-two years of experience.

Hay cuarenta estudiantes en la clase de historia.

A1

There are forty students in the history class.

El autobús número cuarenta pasa por aquí a las ocho.

A2

Bus number forty passes by here at eight o'clock.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • cuarenta años – forty years
  • número cuarenta – number forty

💡 Grammar Points

It Always Stays the Same

Unlike some numbers, 'cuarenta' is invariable. It doesn't change its ending whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.

Combining Numbers

To form numbers from 41 to 99 (except those ending in zero), you connect the tens digit and the units digit with 'y' (and): 'cuarenta y uno' (41), 'cuarenta y cinco' (45).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Misspelling 40

Mistake: "Writing *cuarenta* as 'cuaranta' or 'quarenta'."

Correction: Remember the 'e' after the 'r': c-u-a-R-E-n-t-a. It follows the pattern of 'cuatro' (four).

⭐ Usage Tips

Saying the Date

If you are referring to a date or a floor number, you use the cardinal number (cuarenta) instead of the ordinal (fortieth), which is common in Spanish.

A collection of exactly forty simple red circles arranged clearly on a white background, representing the numerical value of forty.

The collection of forty red circles represents 'cuarenta' as the specific numerical value.

cuarenta(Noun)

mA2

the number forty

?

the numerical value

Also:

the forties

?

age or decade

📝 In Action

El cuarenta es un número redondo.

A2

Forty is a round number.

Mucha gente se preocupa al llegar a los cuarenta.

B1

Many people worry upon reaching their forties (age 40).

💡 Grammar Points

Referring to the Digit

When 'cuarenta' is used as a noun (the number itself), it is always masculine: 'el cuarenta'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: cuarenta

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'cuarenta' as a cardinal number?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cuatro(four) - adjective
cuarentena(quarantine (period of forty days)) - noun
cuadragésimo(fortieth (ordinal)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'cuarenta' ever change its ending for gender or number?

No, 'cuarenta' is one of the Spanish numbers that always stays the same, regardless of whether you are counting masculine or feminine items. For example, 'cuarenta hombres' and 'cuarenta mujeres'.

What is the difference between 'cuarenta' and 'cuadragésimo'?

'Cuarenta' is the quantity (forty), used for counting. 'Cuadragésimo' is the position (fortieth), used for ordering things, like floors or centuries. However, in everyday Spanish, people often just use 'cuarenta' for ordinal numbers too, like 'piso cuarenta' (fortieth floor).