Spanish · Time, Numbers & Colors
"One hundred" in Spanish: cien
cien
Note: 101 and up: ciento
One hundred in Spanish is cien alone or before a noun. From 101 up, use ciento: ciento uno.
Cash
Necesito cien pesos.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cien
Say it
SYEN
/sjen/
SYEN. Soft c like s in Latin America. One clear syllable.
"One hundred" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| cien | one hundred Alone or before a noun: cien pesos. | Alone or before a noun: cien pesos. |
| ciento | one hundred (in compounds) 101 and up: ciento uno. | 101 and up: ciento uno. |
| cien pesos | one hundred pesos Round price. | Round price. |
| ciento por ciento | one hundred percent Emphasis. | Emphasis. |
| cien por ciento | one hundred percent (spoken) Common spoken form. | Common spoken form. |
How to use cien in real life
- 1Cash
Necesito cien pesos.
I need one hundred pesos.
Cien before a noun.
- 2Counting
Contamos hasta cien.
We count to one hundred.
Cien alone.
- 3Compound
El hotel está en el ciento uno.
The hotel is at one hundred one.
Ciento in 101+.
Mistakes English speakers make with cien
Incorrect: Ciento pesos, por favor.
Correct: Cien pesos, por favor.
Before a noun, use cien, not ciento.
Incorrect: Cien uno personas.
Correct: Ciento una personas.
From 101 up, use ciento, not cien.
Good to know
Shopkeepers often deal in cien-peso notes. Say cien before nouns; switch to ciento once you pass 100.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
At a market stall
ChatPal
¿Son cien pesos?
Is it one hundred pesos?
You
Sí, cien. ¿Aceptan tarjeta?
Yes, one hundred. Do you take card?
ChatPal
Solo efectivo hoy.
Cash only today.
You
Bueno. Aquí tienes cien.
OK. Here are one hundred.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"One hundred" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "One hundred" in Spanish
When do I use cien vs ciento?
Cien alone or before a noun; ciento from 101 up.
Does cien change for gender?
Cien stays the same; ciento uno / ciento una agree.
How do you say 100%?
Ciento por ciento, or cien por ciento in speech.
How do you pronounce cien?
SYEN, with soft s.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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