Number to Words
Type any number to see it written out in English words, with your choice of capitalisation, hyphens and British or US style. Switch to cheque format to write an amount for a check, or get the ordinal form.
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Other formats
How to use the Number to Words
- Type or paste a number, for example 1,234.56. Commas, spaces and a minus sign are fine.
- Choose a format: Words, Cheque / check, or Ordinal.
- Set the options: letter case, hyphens, US or British “and”, and how decimals are read.
- For a cheque, pick the currency, the cents style (56/100 or Fifty-Six Cents) and whether to add “Only”.
- Press Copy to copy the words, or copy one of the other formats listed below the result.
How to write numbers in words
English number words are built from a small set of pieces. Learn these and you can write any number:
- 0–19 have their own words: zero, one, two … eleven, twelve, thirteen … nineteen.
- Tens: twenty, thirty, forty (no “u”), fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety. Join a ten and a unit with a hyphen: forty-two.
- Hundreds: a digit plus “hundred”, then the rest: 742 = seven hundred forty-two (US) or seven hundred and forty-two (UK).
- Larger numbers are grouped in threes from the right, and each group gets a name: 3,000,742 = three million seven hundred forty-two.
Never add an “s” to the group name when it follows a number: it's “two million”, not “two millions”. The plural is only used loosely, as in “millions of people”.
Large number names (short scale)
| Name | Value | Zeros | Indian system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thousand | 1,000 | 3 | 1 thousand |
| Hundred thousand | 100,000 | 5 | 1 lakh (1,00,000) |
| Million | 1,000,000 | 6 | 10 lakh |
| Ten million | 10,000,000 | 7 | 1 crore (1,00,00,000) |
| Billion | 109 | 9 | 100 crore |
| Trillion | 1012 | 12 | 1 lakh crore |
| Quadrillion | 1015 | 15 | 10 crore crore |
| Quintillion | 1018 | 18 | – |
| Sextillion | 1021 | 21 | – |
| Decillion | 1033 | 33 | – |
| Vigintillion | 1063 | 63 | – |
English uses the short scale, where each new name is 1,000 times the previous one. Some European languages use the long scale, where a “billion” means a million million (1012), so take care when translating.
Writing a cheque or check correctly
The amount in words is the legally binding part of a cheque, so it should match the figures exactly. For $1,234.56:
- US check: One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Four and 56/100 (the word “Dollars” is usually printed at the end of the line).
- Written out: One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Six Cents Only.
- UK cheque for £1,234.56: One Thousand Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Pounds and 56p or … and Fifty-Six Pence.
- Indian cheque for ₹12,34,567: Twelve Lakh Thirty-Four Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Seven Rupees Only.
Start writing at the far left of the line and draw a line through the space that's left, so nobody can add extra words. If the cents are zero, write “and 00/100” or “Only”.
Ordinal numbers in words
Ordinals describe position (first, second, third). Only the last word changes: one → first, two → second, three → third, five → fifth, eight → eighth, nine → ninth, twelve → twelfth, words ending in “y” change to “ieth” (twenty → twentieth), and the rest add “th” (four → fourth, hundred → hundredth). So 121 is one hundred twenty-first and 1,000,000 is one millionth.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a number in words?
Split the number into groups of three digits from the right (thousands, millions, billions and so on), write each group as a number from one to nine hundred ninety-nine, and add the group name. 1,234,567 is one million two hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty-seven.
Should I put "and" in numbers like 105?
In British, Irish, Australian and Indian English, "and" is normally used after hundred: one hundred and five. American English usually leaves it out (one hundred five) and keeps "and" for the decimal point or the cents on a check. Both are correct; choose the style for your audience.
When do you use hyphens in numbers?
Compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated when written out: twenty-one, forty-five, ninety-nine. Words like hundred, thousand and million are not hyphenated, so 345 is three hundred forty-five.
How do I write a cheque or check amount in words?
Write the whole amount in words, then the cents or pence as a fraction over 100. $1,234.56 becomes One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Four and 56/100 Dollars, or One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Four Dollars and 56/100. Start at the far left of the line, and draw a line through any empty space so nothing can be added.
How do you say decimals in words?
In everyday speech each digit after the point is read separately: 3.14 is three point one four. In formal writing and maths, the decimal can be read as a fraction: 3.14 is three and fourteen hundredths. The converter supports both, plus the 14/100 form used on cheques.
What comes after a trillion?
On the short scale used in English today: thousand, million, billion, trillion, quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion, septillion, octillion, nonillion and decillion, each 1,000 times larger. A sextillion is 10 to the power of 21. The converter goes all the way to vigintillion (10 to the power of 63).
What are lakh and crore?
They are units of the Indian numbering system. One lakh is 100,000 (written 1,00,000) and one crore is 10 million, or 100 lakh (written 1,00,00,000). Choose the Indian system to see amounts such as 12,34,567 as twelve lakh thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty-seven.