vs 

QUICK ANSWER
"Son las nueve" is a phrase which is often translated as "it's nine o'clock", and "veinte" is an adjective which is often translated as "twenty". Learn more about the difference between "son las nueve" and "veinte" below.
son las nueve(
sohn
 
lahs
 
nweh
-
beh
)
A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
phrase
a. it's nine o'clock
Son las nueve de la noche y Alicia todavía no llegó.It's nine o'clock in the evening, and Alicia has not arrived yet.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Media Group, Inc.
veinte(
beyn
-
teh
)
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. twenty
Tiene veinte canicas dentro de la bolsa.He has twenty marbles inside his bag.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. twenty
Diez por dos son veinte.Ten times two is twenty.
b. twentieth (in dates)
El veinte del mes que viene me voy a España.I'm going to Spain on the twentieth of next month.
a. twenties
¿Te imaginas cómo habrá sido vivir en París en los veinte?Can you imagine what it would have been like to have lived in Paris in the twenties?
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Media Group, Inc.