Unit Converter

Free Number to Words Converter

Spell out any number in English — from 0 up to quintillions. Supports currency amounts, ordinal numbers, and both US (short scale) and UK (long scale) conventions.

Live conversion 100% offline Currency mode Ordinals

Settings

Enter a number

Output format

Numbering scale

Currency

Options

British "and"Insert "and" before tens (e.g. "one hundred and twenty") Hyphenate tens-unitsWrite "twenty-one" instead of "twenty one"

Quick examples

Result

In words STANDARD

One million two hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty-seven

1,234,567

Breakdown by scale

US vs UK scale: In the US short scale, 1 billion = 1,000 million. In the old UK long scale, 1 billion = 1 million million, and 1,000 million is "one milliard". Most English-speaking countries now use the short scale.

About Number to Words Conversion

Writing numbers as words is required in many formal contexts: cheques, legal documents, invoices and contracts. Because handwritten or printed digits can be altered or misread, the spelled-out form is treated as the authoritative amount. The convention "one thousand five hundred dollars and 00/100" at the bottom of a cheque exists precisely so that the bank can verify the amount even if the digits have been tampered with.

English number-to-words follows a structured pattern. Numbers are grouped in blocks of three digits, and each block uses the same internal logic (hundreds, tens, units) with a scale word appended. The scale words increase in powers of one thousand: thousand, million, billion, trillion, quadrillion, quintillion.

The scale words

Group	US (short scale)	UK (long scale, old)
10³	thousand	thousand
10⁶	million	million
10⁹	billion	milliard
10¹²	trillion	billion
10¹⁵	quadrillion	billiard
10¹⁸	quintillion	trillion

Modern British English has largely adopted the American short scale, so "billion" almost always means 10⁹ today. This tool offers both for completeness and for anyone working with historical documents that use the older convention.

How the tens and units combine

Number	Word	Note
0	zero
1–12	one, two … twelve	Irregular — no pattern
13–19	thirteen … nineteen	Ends in "-teen"
20, 30 … 90	twenty, thirty … ninety	Round tens
21–99	twenty-one … ninety-nine	Tens + units, hyphenated
100	one hundred	Or "a hundred" informally
101	one hundred and one (BrE) / one hundred one (AmE)	"and" varies by dialect

Ordinal numbers

Ordinal forms express position: first, second, third, and so on. Most ordinals add "-th" to the cardinal form, but there are several irregulars:

1st → first · 2nd → second · 3rd → third
5th → fifth (not "fiveth") · 8th → eighth · 9th → ninth (drop the "e")
12th → twelfth (not "twelveth") · 20th → twentieth · 21st → twenty-first

Cheque and legal writing

When writing amounts on cheques or legal documents, three conventions are standard:

The amount in words starts with a capital letter and is followed by "only" to prevent additions: "Five hundred dollars only".
The digits are written as a fraction for the cents: "and 00/100" or "and 50/100".
If the amount in words and the amount in figures disagree, the words are treated as authoritative in most jurisdictions.

Common use cases

Cheques

Write out the amount in words for the legal line.

Invoices

Add the spelled-out total to purchase orders and invoices.

Legal Documents

Write contract amounts in words to prevent alteration.

Education

Teach students how to read and write large numbers.

Broadcasting

Convert scores or amounts for read-aloud scripts.

Certificates

Write award amounts or dates in formal words.

Privacy and accuracy

This number to words converter runs entirely in your browser. All conversion happens locally in JavaScript — no server calls, no logging, no tracking. Safe for confidential financial amounts and legal drafting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I write a cheque amount in words?

Write the dollar amount in words, followed by the cent amount as a fraction over 100. For example, a cheque for $1,234.56 would be written as "One thousand two hundred thirty-four dollars and 56/100". Some writers add "only" at the end to prevent alterations: "...and 56/100 only". Capitalise the first word and treat the words as authoritative if they disagree with the digits.

What is the difference between US and UK numbering scales?

The short scale (US, and now most of the world) has each successive scale word 1,000 times larger: million (10⁶), billion (10⁹), trillion (10¹²). The long scale (old UK and most of Europe) has each word 1,000,000 times larger: million (10⁶), milliard (10⁹), billion (10¹²), billiard (10¹⁵). The two systems have the same words for the same values up to million, then diverge.

Should I write "and" in numbers?

British English typically includes "and" before the tens or units: one hundred and twenty-three. American English usually omits it: one hundred twenty-three. Both are correct; this tool lets you toggle the option. For formal writing, follow whichever convention your audience expects.

What is the largest number supported?

This tool handles numbers up to 999 quintillion 999 quadrillion ... etc. — that is, up to 10²¹ − 1 approximately. Beyond that, additional scale words would be needed (sextillion, septillion, etc.), and very large numbers quickly exceed JavaScript's safe integer range.

How do I write an ordinal number?

Click the Ordinal button in the output format. This gives first, second, third ... or, for larger numbers, one thousandth, one millionth, and so on. Ordinals follow the same pattern as cardinals with only the last word changed: twenty-first, one hundred and second, one millionth.

What are the irregular ordinals?

Most ordinals add "-th" to the cardinal form, but several are irregular: 1 → first, 2 → second, 3 → third, 5 → fifth, 8 → eighth, 9 → ninth, 12 → twelfth, and 20 → twentieth (drop the "y" and add "ieth"). For compound numbers only the final word becomes ordinal: 21 → twenty-first.

Is this number to words converter free?

Yes. It is 100% free, requires no sign-up, and runs entirely in your browser. No length limits, no watermarks, no premium tier.

Is my input sent to a server?

No. All conversions happen locally in JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded, stored or logged — safe for confidential financial amounts.

How do I handle negative numbers or decimals?

Negative numbers are supported: they are written as "minus" followed by the words, e.g. −42 → minus forty-two. Decimal amounts are best handled with the currency mode, which converts the integer part to words and appends the cents as a fraction (e.g. 12.34 → "twelve dollars and 34/100").

What does the currency mode do?

Currency mode converts a number to words appropriate for financial writing. It appends the currency name after the integer part and, if you entered a decimal, appends the cents as a fraction. For example, 1234.56 with USD selected produces "one thousand two hundred thirty-four dollars and 56/100".