nueve
/NWEH-veh/
nine
Showing nine items, this image represents 'nueve' as a cardinal number used to quantify objects.
📝 In Action
Necesito nueve huevos para hacer el pastel.
A1I need nine eggs to make the cake.
La mesa tiene capacidad para nueve personas.
A1The table has capacity for nine people.
Solo me quedan nueve días de vacaciones.
A2I only have nine days of vacation left.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Nueve
Unlike some other Spanish numbers, 'nueve' is invariable, meaning it never changes its ending for gender (masculine or feminine) or number (singular or plural). You always use 'nueve'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Trying to pluralize the number
Mistake: "nueves sillas (Incorrect)"
Correction: nueve sillas (Correct). The number itself doesn't become plural, only the thing it is counting (sillas).
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'Tener'
When talking about age, Spanish speakers 'have' years. Say: 'Tengo nueve años' (I have nine years) to mean 'I am nine years old'.
Representing the numerical value, this image illustrates 'nueve' as the abstract concept of the number nine.
nueve(Noun)
the number nine
?the numerical value or digit
,nine o'clock
?referring to the hour (usually used as 'las nueve')
📝 In Action
Mi número favorito es el nueve.
A1My favorite number is nine.
La película empieza a las nueve en punto.
A1The movie starts at nine o'clock sharp.
Sacó un nueve en el examen de matemáticas.
B1She got a nine (an A or high grade) on the math exam.
💡 Grammar Points
Talking about the hour
To say 'It is nine o'clock', you must use the feminine plural article 'las' because you are implicitly referring to 'las horas' (the hours): 'Son las nueve'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the singular for time
Mistake: "Es el nueve. (When meaning 9:00 AM/PM)"
Correction: Son las nueve. (Correct for time, because it is plural hours, except for 1:00 PM/AM).
⭐ Usage Tips
Referring to the digit
When talking about the digit or the score itself, treat it as a masculine noun: 'El nueve es importante aquí'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: nueve
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'nueve' to tell time?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'nueve' ever change its form for gender or number?
No, 'nueve' is one of the easiest numbers to use because it is completely invariable. You use 'nueve' whether you are counting masculine or feminine nouns, and it doesn't become plural (you don't say 'nueves').
How do I say 'ninth' (ordinal number) in Spanish?
The word for 'ninth' is 'noveno' (or 'novena' if the noun is feminine). Remember, ordinal numbers like 'first', 'second', and 'ninth' are different from cardinal numbers like 'one', 'two', and 'nine'.