Numbers, dates, times and quantities in spoken Spanish

Q: What is the key phonetic difference between the numbers 60 and 70 in Spanish?

The key difference is the middle consonant sound: 60 is sesenta (with an 's') and 70 is setenta (with a 't').

Q: Where is the word 'y' (and) placed when forming large numbers in Spanish?

The word 'y' is only placed between the tens and the units (e.g., treinta y cinco ), never after the hundreds.

Q: What is the standard formula for stating a date in Spanish?

The formula is el + [number] + de + [month] .

Q: How do you say 'the 1st' of a month in Spanish?

While el uno is understood, it is most common to use el primero for the first day of the month.

Q: What are the rules for capitalizing months and days of the week in Spanish?

Months and days of the week are not capitalized in Spanish unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Q: How do you correctly state that it is 1:00 vs. any other hour in Spanish?

Use Es la una for 1:00 (singular) and Son las... for all other hours (plural).

Q: What is the difference between hearing 'Son las ocho' and 'A las ocho'?

'Son las ocho' means 'It is eight o'clock', while 'A las ocho' means 'At eight o'clock'.

Q: What do the Spanish quantity words 'demasiado' and 'bastante' mean?

Demasiado means 'too much' or 'too many', and bastante means 'quite a lot' or 'enough'.

Q: Why is spelling important for numbers in the Paper 1 Section B Dictation?

In the dictation task, you must provide accurate spelling (including accents where necessary) to receive full credit.

Spanish 8692 · AQA GCSE · 4 min read · Updated: Sep 7, 2026

Welcome to Listening Skills: Numbers, Dates, Times, and Quantities

In your Spanish 8692 Paper 1 (Listening) exam, numbers and dates are everywhere! You will hear them in Section A when identifying specific details (like prices or ages) and in Section B when you have to write down exactly what you hear during the dictation task. Mastering these sounds will help you grab those extra marks that many students miss. Don't worry if it feels like a lot to remember—we will break it down step-by-step!

1. Mastering Numbers (Los Números)

Numbers are the building blocks of many listening tasks. In the exam, you might hear a phone number, a price, or a year. The trick is to listen for the specific endings of words, as some Spanish numbers sound very similar.

Watch out for "The Tricky Pairs"

These are the numbers that most students mix up during the listening exam. Listen closely to the middle sounds:

60 (sesenta) vs. 70 (setenta) — Listen for the "s" sound in sesenta and the "t" sound in setenta.
15 (quince) vs. 50 (cincuenta)
16 (dieciséis) vs. 60 (sesenta)

Higher Tier Tip: Large Numbers

If you are taking the Higher Tier, you need to be comfortable with numbers beyond 1,000. For example: mil novecientos noventa y ocho (1998) or dos mil veintisiete (2027). Remember that Spanish uses "y" (and) only between the tens and the units (e.g., treinta y cinco), never after the hundreds.

Key Takeaway: Practice saying sesenta and setenta out loud. If you can say the difference, you can hear the difference!

2. Dates and Years (Las Fechas)

In Section A of the Listening paper, you might be asked "When is the festival?" or "On what day does the flight leave?".

The Spanish Date Formula

In Spanish, dates always follow this pattern: el + [number] + de + [month].

Example: el cinco de mayo (the 5th of May).

Important Exception: For the 1st of the month, Spanish speakers often say el primero instead of el uno.

Months of the Year

Most months look similar to English (cognates), but they sound different. Be careful with:
- enero (January)
- agosto (August)
- septiembre (September — remember the 'p' is often soft or silent in speech)
- jueves (Thursday) vs. juego (game) — don't mix up days with other vocab!

Quick Review: Spanish months and days do not start with a capital letter (e.g., lunes, abril) unless they start a sentence.

3. Telling the Time (La Hora)

Time is a common topic in Theme 1 (People and lifestyle) and Theme 2 (Popular culture). You might hear someone talking about their school schedule or cinema times.

The Basics

To ask the time: ¿Qué hora es?
For 1:00: Es la una. (Singular because it is one hour).
For all other hours: Son las... (Plural). Example: Son las tres (It is 3:00).

Dividing the Clock

Listen for these key phrases to identify the exact minute:

- ...y cuarto (quarter past)

- ...y media (half past)

- ...menos cuarto (quarter to)

- ...en punto (on the dot/sharp)

The "At" Trap

If the speaker says "A las ocho...", they are saying "At eight o'clock...". If they say "Son las ocho...", they are saying "It is eight o'clock." Listen for that tiny "a" to know if they are talking about a specific appointment time!

4. Quantities and Amounts (Cantidades)

In the Listening exam, quantities help you identify opinions. Does the person have too much homework or enough money?

Common Quantity Words

Mucho / Muchos: A lot / Many
Poco / Pocos: A little / Few
Demasiado: Too much / Too many
Bastante: Quite a lot / Enough

Weights and Measures

You might hear these in contexts like shopping or healthy living:
- Un kilo de... (A kilogram of...)
- Medio kilo de... (Half a kilo of...)
- Una ración de... (A portion of...)
- Una docena de... (A dozen of...)

Did you know? In Spanish-speaking countries, prices are often spoken as \(5\) euros con \(20\) céntimos, but in casual speech, they might just say cinco con veinte.

5. Exam Strategies for Paper 1

Section A (Comprehension): Use your 5 minutes of reading time to underline any questions that ask for "When," "How much," or "How many." This tells your brain to listen specifically for numbers and dates.

Section B (Dictation): You will be credited for accurate spelling here. Even if you understand that the speaker said "16," you must write the word dieciséis correctly (including the accent if required at Higher Tier). If you find spelling numbers hard, spend 10 minutes a week just practicing the "teens" (11–19) and the "tens" (20, 30, 40...).

Key Takeaway: Numbers are "easy wins" if you recognize their sounds. Don't let a sesenta/setenta confusion lose you a mark!

Note: For more help on understanding the general meaning of a conversation, see the chapter "Listening for gist, detail and specific information."

Quick check

Can you answer these now?

Open each question to check the key ideas from this chapter.

What is the key phonetic difference between the numbers 60 and 70 in Spanish?

The key difference is the middle consonant sound: 60 is sesenta (with an 's') and 70 is setenta (with a 't').

Where is the word 'y' (and) placed when forming large numbers in Spanish?

The word 'y' is only placed between the tens and the units (e.g., treinta y cinco), never after the hundreds.

What is the standard formula for stating a date in Spanish?

The formula is el + [number] + de + [month].

How do you say 'the 1st' of a month in Spanish?

While el uno is understood, it is most common to use el primero for the first day of the month.

What are the rules for capitalizing months and days of the week in Spanish?

Months and days of the week are not capitalized in Spanish unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

How do you correctly state that it is 1:00 vs. any other hour in Spanish?

Use Es la una for 1:00 (singular) and Son las... for all other hours (plural).

What is the difference between hearing 'Son las ocho' and 'A las ocho'?

'Son las ocho' means 'It is eight o'clock', while 'A las ocho' means 'At eight o'clock'.

What do the Spanish quantity words 'demasiado' and 'bastante' mean?

Demasiado means 'too much' or 'too many', and bastante means 'quite a lot' or 'enough'.

How are prices typically spoken in casual Spanish?

Prices are often shortened to just the two numbers separated by 'con', such as cinco con veinte (five [euros] with twenty [cents]).

Why is spelling important for numbers in the Paper 1 Section B Dictation?

In the dictation task, you must provide accurate spelling (including accents where necessary) to receive full credit.

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