Sixteen in Spanish
The Spanish word for 'sixteen' (16) is 'dieciséis', pronounced dyeh-see-SAYS (IPA: /djesiˈsejs/). It is an A1-level number.
Pronunciation: dyeh-see-SAYS
| Spanish | dieciséis |
|---|---|
| Digits | 16 |
| Pronunciation | dyeh-see-SAYS · /djesiˈsejs/ |
| Part of speech | number |
| Level | A1 (beginner-friendly) |
Example Sentences with 'dieciséis'
- Mi hermano tiene dieciséis años.
My brother is sixteen years old. - Vivimos en el número dieciséis de esta calle.
We live at number sixteen on this street. - Compré dieciséis botellas de agua para el viaje.
I bought sixteen bottles of water for the trip. - El autobús número dieciséis te deja en el centro.
The number sixteen bus drops you off downtown.
Common Phrases with 'dieciséis'
- dieciséis años
sixteen years old - el siglo XVI (dieciséis)
the 16th century
How to Use 'dieciséis'
Dieciséis is a contraction of diez y seis (ten and six), which is how 16–19 are all built: dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve. Only dieciséis carries a written accent, because the stress falls on the last syllable and the word ends in -s. The old three-word spelling diez y seis is now considered outdated.
Regional note: In Latin America the c sounds like s (dyeh-see-SAYS); in most of Spain it sounds like th (dyeh-thee-SAYS).
Keep Counting in Spanish
Numbers 1–15 are unique words, 16–29 are written as one fused word (dieciséis, veintitrés), and from 31 upwards you join the tens and units with y: treinta y uno, cuarenta y cinco. Get the full list, the cien vs. ciento rule and how to give your age, tell the time and read prices in our guide to numbers in Spanish 1–100.
Related Vocabulary
Keep going: practise with the full list of numbers in Spanish from 1 to 100.
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sixteen' (16) in Spanish is 'dieciséis', pronounced dyeh-see-SAYS.
It is spelled d-i-e-c-i-s-é-i-s (with an accent on the é).
Say 'Tengo dieciséis años', literally 'I have 16 years'. Spanish uses tener, not ser, for age.
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