doce
/ˈdoθe/
doce is the Spanish word for the number twelve.
doce is used to represent the cardinal number that follows eleven.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Latin America, the word doceavo is used to express the ordinal number for 'twelfth'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdoθe/
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often use the phrase a las doce to mark the peak of an event, such as the traditional eating of twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.
- The word doce comes from the Latin duodecim, which literally means 'two from ten'. This reflects an ancient counting system that viewed twelve as two units beyond ten.
- In Spanish, the phrase las doce can refer to both midnight and noon, as the language relies on the context of the day or the addition of de la noche and del mediodía.
Examples in context
- Hay doce invitados en la conferenciaThere are twelve guests at the conference
- Tengo doce añosI am twelve years old
- Compré una docena de huevosI bought a dozen eggs
- Compré una docena de floresI bought a dozen flowers
- En el reloj, son las doce en punto.On the clock, it's twelve o'clock.
- Tenemos doce manzanas en la canasta.We have twelve apples in the basket.
- Hace doce días que no veo a mi mejor amigo.It has been twelve days since I last saw my best friend.
- Tengo doce libros en mi mochila.I have twelve books in my backpack.
- El número doce es mi favorito.The number twelve is my favorite.
- Compré doce huevos en el mercado.I bought twelve eggs at the market.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are counting items in a classroom.
- María¿Cuántos lápices hay en la caja?How many pencils are in the box?
- MateoHay exactamente doce lápices.There are exactly twelve pencils.
- María¡Qué bien! Gracias, Mateo.That's great! Thanks, Mateo.
- MateoDe nada, María.You're welcome, María.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry doce, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries doce, CC BY-SA 4.0.
