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"Eighteen" is an adjective which is often translated as "dieciocho", and "twenty" is an adjective which is often translated as "veinte". Learn more about the difference between "eighteen" and "twenty" below.
eighteen(
ey
-
tin
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
2. (number)
a. el dieciocho (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
My telephone number ends in eighteen.Mi número de teléfono acaba en dieciocho.
twenty(
twuhn
-
i
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
twenties
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
3. (decade)
a. los años veinte (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I would love to have lived during the Roaring Twenties.Me hubiera encantado vivir durante los felices años veinte.
a. veinte y pico (colloquial)
When I was in my twenties, I visited the pyramids of Chichen Itza.Cuando tenía veinte y pico, visité las pirámides de Chichén Itzá.
b. veinte y tantos (colloquial)
How old is your roommate? - I'm not sure, but I think she's in her twenties.¿Qué edad tiene tu compañera de cuarto? - No estoy seguro, pero creo que tiene veinte y tantos.
c. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
I wasn't thinking about the future when I was in my twenties.No pensaba en el futuro cuando tenía veinte años.
Our clubbing nights are aimed at people in their twenties.Nuestras noches de baile van dirigidas a veinteañeros.