dieciséis
number
The Spanish word for sixteen is dieciséis, written as one word with an accent on the é. It is said roughly "dyeh-see-SEH-ees", with the stress on the third syllable. It is also called diez y seis.
Meaning: sixteen (number)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| dieciséis | number |
| diez y seis | older spelling |
How does it change in a sentence?
The numbers 16 to 29 are single words: dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve, veinte. Starting at 31 they split into treinta y uno.
How do you pronounce it?
Break it into die-ci-séis. The c before i sounds like "s" in Latin America and like "th" in most of Spain. The stress is on séis, which is why the accent mark appears there.
When do people say it?
In Mexico, el Dieciséis de Septiembre is Independence Day, celebrated each year on September 16.
Did you know?
- The older spelling diez y seis is still found in old texts, but today the one-word form is the standard.
Examples in context
- Tengo dieciséis años.I am sixteen years old.
- Hay dieciséis estudiantes en la clase.There are sixteen students in the class.
- El autobús sale a las dieciséis horas.The bus leaves at sixteen hundred hours.
Example conversation
The teacher Señora Pérez counts chairs with her student Nico before class.
- Señora PérezNico, ¿cuántas sillas hay?Nico, how many chairs are there?
- NicoHay dieciséis, señora.There are sixteen, ma'am.
- Señora PérezPerfecto, somos dieciséis.Perfect, we are sixteen.
