doce
/DOH-seh/
twelve
Showing a quantity of 'doce' (twelve).
📝 In Action
Necesito doce huevos para hacer la tortilla.
A1I need twelve eggs to make the omelet.
Hay doce meses en un año.
A1There are twelve months in a year.
El grupo tiene doce miembros.
B1The group has twelve members.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Fixed
Unlike some Spanish numbers, 'doce' is always the same word, whether the thing you are counting is masculine (doce libros) or feminine (doce mesas).
⭐ Usage Tips
Pronunciation Tip
In Spain, the 'c' in 'doce' sounds like a 'th' in English 'think.' In most of Latin America, it sounds like an 's'.
Representing 'doce' as the noun or number twelve.
📝 In Action
El doce es mi número de la suerte.
A1Twelve is my lucky number.
La reunión es a las doce en punto.
A1The meeting is at twelve o'clock sharp (noon or midnight).
Mi cumpleaños es el doce de mayo.
A2My birthday is the twelfth (12th) of May.
💡 Grammar Points
Telling Time
When referring to the hour, 'doce' is almost always used with the feminine plural article 'las' because you are referring to 'las doce horas' (the twelve hours).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'el' for Time
Mistake: "La clase es a el doce."
Correction: La clase es a las doce. (Remember to use 'las' when talking about the hour, even if the number itself is masculine.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Noon vs. Midnight
If you need to be specific about the time, you can clarify: 'las doce del mediodía' (noon) or 'las doce de la noche' (midnight).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: doce
Question 1 of 2
Which Spanish phrase correctly asks for a quantity of 12 rolls?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'doce' ever change its ending (like to 'doces' or 'doca')?
No, 'doce' is one of the numbers that always stays the same regardless of whether the things you are counting are masculine or feminine, or singular or plural. If you are talking about the number itself, you would say 'los doces' (the twelves) but this is rare.
How do I distinguish between 12:00 PM and 12:00 AM?
You can add context: 'las doce del mediodía' (12 PM / noon) or 'las doce de la noche' (12 AM / midnight). If you just say 'a las doce,' context often makes it clear, but it's best to specify if needed.