Greek numbers are remarkably regular — once you've decoded the alphabet. The first ten are foundational, the teens follow a clean δεκα- ("ten-") prefix pattern, and the tens are predictable. The challenge is gender: 1, 3, and 4 change form depending on what they're counting (ένας / μία / ένα). By the end of this page, you'll count from zero to a million in real Greek.
What you'll walk away with
- Hear every Greek number from a native Athens voice
- Master the elegant δεκα- pattern that builds 11–19
- Walk away knowing when to say ένας, μία, and ένα for the number 1
The foundational ten — 0 to 10 in Greek
These eleven words are the building blocks for every Greek number you'll ever say. Tap any to hear it spoken. Spend a minute here — the rest of the article assumes you've heard each of them.
- 0 — μηδέν
- 1 — ένα
- 2 — δύο
- 3 — τρία
- 4 — τέσσερα
- 5 — πέντε
- 6 — έξι
- 7 — επτά
- 8 — οκτώ
- 9 — εννέα
- 10 — δέκα
11 to 20 — where Greek shows its character
Some of these are unique words you'll need to memorize; others follow a pattern. Tap any to hear it. Pay attention to the rhythm — the teens often have a distinctive cadence in each language.
- 11 — έντεκα
- 12 — δώδεκα
- 13 — δεκατρία
- 14 — δεκατέσσερα
- 15 — δεκαπέντε
- 16 — δεκαέξι
- 17 — δεκαεπτά
- 18 — δεκαοκτώ
- 19 — δεκαεννέα
- 20 — είκοσι
The tens — 20, 30, 40… up to 100
Once you know these, you can build every two-digit number using the combining rule below. Tap any to hear it.
- 20 — είκοσι
- 30 — τριάντα
- 40 — σαράντα
- 50 — πενήντα
- 60 — εξήντα
- 70 — εβδομήντα
- 80 — ογδόντα
- 90 — ενενήντα
- 100 — εκατό
How to build Greek numbers
Combine tens and units with a space: είκοσι ένα (21), τριάντα δύο (32), ενενήντα εννέα (99). The teens 13–19 are built with the prefix δεκα-: δεκατρία (13 = ten-three), δεκαπέντε (15 = ten-five), δεκαεννέα (19). Eleven (έντεκα) and twelve (δώδεκα) are unique forms inherited from Ancient Greek; the rest follow the prefix rule. Hundreds: εκατό alone, διακόσια (200), τριακόσια (300), πεντακόσια (500), χίλια (1000). For hundreds in compounds, change εκατό to εκατόν: εκατόν ένα (101).
Big numbers — 100, 1,000, and 1,000,000
These three words unlock everything from prices to populations to budgets. Tap any to hear it.
- 100 — εκατό
- 1000 — χίλια
- 1000000 — εκατομμύριο
The Greek number rules every textbook softens
Six insights that get you fluent with Greek numbers in real conversation.
- 1, 3, and 4 have gender. Ένας (m), μία (f), ένα (n) for 1. Τρεις (m/f), τρία (n) for 3. Τέσσερις (m/f), τέσσερα (n) for 4. Ένας άντρας (one man), μία γυναίκα (one woman), ένα παιδί (one child).
- The rest of the numbers don't change form. Δύο, πέντε, έξι, επτά — all invariant. Only 1, 3, and 4 carry gender.
- Hundreds also have gender. Διακόσιοι (m), διακόσιες (f), διακόσια (n) for 200. The agreement is with the noun being counted.
- Stress is always written. Every multi-syllable Greek word marks its stress with an acute accent. Είκοσι (stress on the first), εκατό (stress on the last). The stress mark is a gift — it removes any guessing.
- Greek uses a comma for decimals, period for thousands. 1.234,56 €.
- Years are read as full numbers. 1985 is χίλια εννιακόσια ογδόντα πέντε — "one thousand nine hundred eighty-five". Greek doesn't split into pairs.
Why Greek counting unlocks fast once you know the alphabet
Greek numbers are clean. The teen prefix (δεκα-) is one of the most elegant systems in any language — once you know the units, the teens are automatic. The tens are predictable. The only real complexity is the gender agreement on 1, 3, 4, and the hundreds. Master those and you'll handle any Greek number you encounter, from menu prices in Athens to phone numbers in Thessaloniki.
Ready to count in real conversations?
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