Let's Master Counting Philippine Money - using Spanish Counting Numbers

 

Hi guys.  Counting money is important whenever you arrive at a different country.  If you intend to stay in the 

Philippines for a long period of time, you must learn to count money the way the locals do.  Money is important in transactions such as buying in local wet and dry markets, in sari-sari store, in street vendors, in paying rent, in paying in restaurants.  

In the Philippines, cashless transaction is still not commonly practiced.  Some establishments still prefer cash unlike in countries in Europe where credit cards are accepted.  In the Philippines, credit cards are accepted when paying in hotels, some restaurants in the city, and for online transactions only.  However, in establishments which are holes in the wall, cash is preferred.  

So this lesson aims to teach you how Filipinos count money.  In counting money, Filipinos often use Spanish counting numbers.  Especially in amounts over ₱10.  ₱ here stands for pesos, which is the local currency in the Philippines.  

Counting money is really tricky because there are parts where the Tagalog counting is used and there are parts where Spanish counting numbers are more widely used.  However, in the end, it will boil down to which system the user is more comfortable.  But for convenience, I advice you to familiarize with Spanish counting system because it is really useful anywhere in the Philippine. 

Study the following:

(Again, read it the way it is spelled or written down.)

₱1             -    uno                                                                           

₱2             -    dos                                                                            

₱3             -    tres                                                                                  

₱4             -    kwatro

₱5             -    singko

₱6             -    sais

₱7             -    siyete

₱8             -   otso

₱9             -   nuwebe

₱10           -   dyis

₱11           -   onse

₱12           -   dose

₱13           -   trese

₱14           -   katorse

₱15           -   kinse 

₱16           -   disi-sais

₱17           -   disi-syete

₱18           -   disi-otso

₱19           -   disi-nuwebe

₱20           -   bente

₱30           -   trenta

₱40           -   kwarenta

₱50           -   singkwenta

₱60           -   sisenta

₱70           -   sitenta

₱80           -   otsenta

₱90           -   nubenta

₱100         -   isandaan/siyento

₱ 500        -   kinyentos 

₱1000       -   isanlibo/ mil

So how do we read the following? 

2023 -  Dos mil bente tres

₱85.00   -  otsentay singko pesos

₱128.00 -  siyento bente otso pesos

₱345.50 - tres siyentos kwarentay singko singkwenta pesos

₱3.75    - tres sitentay singko pesos 

₱ .15    -  kinse sentimos

'Y' means and in English. 

Can you practice reading the following?

₱18.00         -

₱ 619.00      -

₱ . 95           -  

₱ 1, 173.00  -

₱ 99.00        -  

Can you identify the following? 

Once you have mastered Spanish numbers, it will be a good skill for you.  YOu will find out about this once you stay longer in any other part of the Philippines.