The years Rules / Examples
Years are normally divided into two parts:the first two digits and the last two digits.
1986 is divided into 19 and 86 so you would say nineteen eighty-six.
- 1052 = ten fifty-two
- 1666 = sixteen sixty-six
- 1942 = nineteen forty-two
- 2015 = twenty fifteen
How to say the years after 2000
For the year 2000 you say (the year) two thousand.
For the years 2001 to 2010, the most common way of saying the year is two thousand and + number.
- 2001 = two thousand and one
- 2002 = two thousand and two
- 2003 = two thousand and three
- 2004 = two thousand and four
- 2005 = two thousand and five
- 2006 = two thousand and six
- 2007 = two thousand and seven
- 2008 = two thousand and eight
- 2008 = two thousand and nine
For the first years after 2010 you may hear two different alternatives.
2012 – Some people say
- two thousand and twelve while others say
- twenty twelve.
They are both used and both correct.
Years from the first decade of each century
When a year ends in a number between 01 and 09, for example 1705, then that last part is pronounced as the name of the letter O + number.
- 1506 = fifteen O six
- 1704 = seventeen O four
- 1902 = nineteen O two
When a year ends in 00 (e.g. 1600) then the year is said as the digits before 00 and then hundred.
- 1300 = thirteen hundred
- 1700 = seventeen hundred
- 1800 = eighteen hundred
When people refer to the entire century, an S is added to the end.
The 1500s = the fifteen hundreds (=1500-1599)
The 1800s = the eighteen hundreds (=1800-1899)
Of course you can also say the 16th century and 19th century.
Exercises - The years
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1) Two thousand nine = 209 2000 2009
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2) Twenty ten = 2010 1010 10
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3) Eighteen ninety-nine = 899 1999 1899
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4) Nineteen hundred = 900 90 1900
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5) Nineteen twenty-three = 1883 1923 1783
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6) Nineteen eighty-two = 2002 1982 1882
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7) Two-thousand = 1000 200 2000
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8) Twenty seventeen = 2917 2007 2017
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9) Seventeen twenty-three = 1723 1977 1700
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10) Two thousand twenty-one = 2000 20108 2021