Number to Words Converter — Free Online Number Spelling Tool

How to Use the Number to Words Converter

1. Enter any number: Type a number in the input field. You can enter integers up to the quadrillions, negative numbers with a minus sign, or numbers with commas for readability (the converter strips commas automatically). The input uses a monospace font so digits align clearly.
2. Read the cardinal form: The converter immediately displays the number spelled out in standard American English. Compound numbers are correctly hyphenated (e.g., "twenty-three"), and scale words (thousand, million, billion) are placed appropriately.
3. Toggle ordinal form: Use the "Show Ordinal Form" switch to see the ordinal version of the number. This converts "one hundred twenty-three" to "one hundred twenty-third," following all English ordinal rules including irregular forms like "first," "second," and "third."
4. Check the details panel: Below the word forms, the panel shows the number with standard comma formatting, the total digit count, and the magnitude classification (thousand, million, billion, etc.) for quick reference.

Results update in real time as you type, making it easy to experiment with different numbers. The converter handles edge cases like zero, negative numbers, and very large values gracefully, always producing grammatically correct English output.

Number to Words Conversion Method

Number Scale Reference

• Ones (1-9): one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine
• Teens (10-19): ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen
• Tens (20-90): twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety
• Hundreds: one hundred, two hundred, ..., nine hundred
• Scale words: thousand (10^3), million (10^6), billion (10^9), trillion (10^12), quadrillion (10^15)

Step-by-Step Example

Convert 7,845,123 to words:

1. Group into chunks of three from right: 7 | 845 | 123
2. Convert first group (millions): 7 = "seven million"
3. Convert second group (thousands): 845 = "eight hundred forty-five thousand"
4. Convert third group (ones): 123 = "one hundred twenty-three"
5. Combine: "seven million eight hundred forty-five thousand one hundred twenty-three"

Each group of three digits is converted independently using the same hundreds-tens-ones pattern, then joined with the appropriate scale word. Groups that are zero are skipped entirely (7,000,123 skips the thousands group).

Practical Examples

Example 1: Writing a Check

Amanda needs to write a check for $12,750 for a home repair. She uses the converter to ensure she spells the amount correctly on the check's written line:

• Input: 12750
• Output: "twelve thousand seven hundred fifty"
• She writes on the check: "twelve thousand seven hundred fifty and 00/100"

Banks require the written amount on checks to match the numerical amount. An incorrectly spelled number could cause the check to be rejected or the wrong amount to be processed. This converter eliminates spelling uncertainty for any amount.

Example 2: Legal Document Preparation

Daniel, a paralegal, is preparing a contract that specifies a settlement of $2,350,000. Legal documents typically require amounts in both words and figures for clarity and fraud prevention:

• Input: 2350000
• Output: "two million three hundred fifty thousand"
• Contract text: "two million three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,350,000)"

In legal contexts, the written-out amount takes precedence over the numerical amount if there is a discrepancy. Getting the word form exactly right is therefore critical. For financial calculations related to such amounts, try our compound interest calculator.

Example 3: Teaching Children Number Words

Patricia, a third-grade teacher, uses the converter as a teaching tool to help students learn number spelling. She demonstrates with progressive difficulty:

• 47 = "forty-seven" (compound number with hyphen)
• 100 = "one hundred" (round hundred)
• 512 = "five hundred twelve" (no "and" in American English)
• 1,000 = "one thousand" (first scale word)

Students can verify their own spelling attempts against the converter's output. The ordinal toggle also helps teach words like "first," "second," "twelfth," and "twenty-first," which have irregular forms that children need to memorize.

Example 4: Sports Record Notation

Ken is writing a sports article and needs to spell out a marathon attendance of 53,471 runners and note that the winner finished in 1st place (ordinal):

• Cardinal: 53471 = "fifty-three thousand four hundred seventy-one"
• Ordinal: 1 = "first" (irregular ordinal)
• Ordinal: 53471 = "fifty-three thousand four hundred seventy-first"

Journalistic style guides require certain numbers to be spelled out, especially at the beginning of sentences and for ordinal references. The converter ensures accuracy for both forms, which is especially useful for the many irregular ordinal words in English.

Number Words Reference Table

Tips and Complete Guide

American vs. British English Number Words

American and British English differ in two significant ways when writing numbers. First, British English inserts "and" before the tens or ones: "one hundred and twenty-three" versus American "one hundred twenty-three." Second, the word "billion" means different things: in American English (and now most international contexts), a billion is 10^9 (one thousand million), while the traditional British long scale defined a billion as 10^12 (one million million). Our converter uses American English conventions, which are the international standard in finance and science.

Writing Numbers in Formal Documents

In legal documents, contracts, and checks, amounts are written in both words and figures to prevent fraud and ambiguity. The general convention is: "twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00)." If the written and numerical amounts differ, the written amount takes legal precedence. For very large amounts in business contexts, combining words with figures is acceptable: "$2.5 million" or "2.5 million dollars." Always use the full word form for amounts on checks and in the body of legal contracts.

Irregular Ordinals to Memorize

Most ordinals are formed by adding "-th" to the cardinal form, but several are irregular. "First" (not "oneth"), "second" (not "twoth"), "third" (not "threeth"), "fifth" (not "fiveth"), "eighth" (not "eightth"), "ninth" (not "nineth"), and "twelfth" (not "twelveth") all have special forms. For compound ordinals, only the last word changes: "twenty-first," "one hundred third," "two thousand fifth." Our converter correctly handles all these irregular forms. For converting numbers into Roman numeral form, try our Roman numeral converter.

Style Guide Recommendations

Different style guides have different rules. AP Style: spell out one through nine, use digits for 10 and above. Chicago Manual of Style: spell out zero through one hundred and any whole number followed by "hundred," "thousand," "million," etc. APA Style: spell out numbers below 10, use digits for 10 and above. MLA Style: spell out numbers that can be written in one or two words ("twenty-three" but "123"). All guides agree: spell out numbers at the start of a sentence, and be consistent within a document.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting hyphens in compound numbers: Numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine always require a hyphen. "Twentyone" and "twenty one" are both incorrect. Write "twenty-one."
• Using "and" in American English numbers: In American English, "and" is not used in whole numbers. "One hundred and five" should be "one hundred five." "And" is reserved for the decimal point in spoken numbers.
• Confusing "billion" across contexts: In international finance and American English, a billion is 10^9 (1,000,000,000). In some European countries using the long scale, a billion (or "milliard") means 10^12. Always clarify when communicating across regions.
• Misspelling common number words: Frequently misspelled: "forty" (not "fourty"), "ninety" (not "ninty"), "eighth" (not "eigth"), "twelfth" (not "twelth"). These are common errors even for native English speakers.
• Wrong ordinal forms: "Fiveth" should be "fifth," "nineth" should be "ninth," and "one hundred and twenty-oneth" should be "one hundred twenty-first." Only the last element of a compound number takes the ordinal form.

Frequently Asked Questions