Number to words converter
Type a number or amount and see it written out in words straight away. It works for plain numbers and for amounts in pounds, dollars or euros, for example to check how to write an amount on a cheque, in a contract or on an invoice.
Up to 21 digits. Both 1,250.50 and 1250.50 work; a minus sign is fine.
Fill in the fields; the answer appears here straight away.
How it's worked out
How it works
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Enter the values
Type the numbers or the formula. Decimals may use a point or a comma. No idea? Click Fill in an example.
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Instant answer
The answer appears as you type, with the most important intermediate values.
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See the working
Under "How it's worked out" you see the steps, handy for checking your own calculation.
Examples
- 125 becomes one hundred and twenty-five (British) or one hundred twenty-five (American).
- 2,026 becomes two thousand and twenty-six (British).
- 1,250.50 as pounds becomes one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds and fifty pence.
- 2,300,500 becomes two million three hundred thousand five hundred.
- 3.14 becomes three point one four.
Rules for English numbers
- Tens and ones from 21 to 99 are joined with a hyphen: twenty-one, ninety-nine.
- British English puts and after hundreds and before a final group of less than one hundred: one thousand and five.
- Groups of three digits get a scale word: thousand, million, billion, trillion.
- The amount in pounds and pence has singular and plural forms: one pound, two pounds, one penny, five pence.
Why write amounts in words?
On cheques, in sales contracts and on important invoices, the amount is often written in words as well as figures. A digit is easy to misread or alter, a written amount is harder to forge. Agree beforehand which one counts if they differ.
Making an invoice? Work out the total first with the VAT calculator, then use this tool for the wording.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an amount in words?
Write out the whole units, then the currency, then "and" and the pence or cents with their name. The amount 1,250.50 becomes "one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds and fifty pence". Choose a currency above and the tool does it for you.
Do you write "and" in numbers?
In British English you write "and" after the hundreds and before the last two digits: "one hundred and twenty-five". American English leaves it out: "one hundred twenty-five". Choose the spelling above.
How are numbers over a thousand written?
In groups of three digits with a scale word: thousand, million, billion, trillion and so on. A billion is 1,000,000,000 in both British and American English today.
What does the tool do with decimals?
A number such as 3.14 becomes "three point one four": the digits after the point are read one by one. If you choose an amount in a currency, it is rounded to whole pence or cents.
How large can the number be?
Up to 21 digits, which is just below a sextillion. Negative numbers get the word "minus" in front.