Number to Words
Write any number in English words, with ordinals and cheque-style amounts
one thousand two hundred fifty point five zero
one thousand two hundred fifty dollars and fifty cents
About Number to Words
Writes any number in English words, up to 21 digits, with decimals, negatives, the ordinal form (first, second, third) and a cheque-style amount.
Type a number such as 1,250.50. The words appear as you type. Turn on the British "and" for wording like "one hundred and one", and pick a currency for the cheque line.
Cheque amounts are rounded to two decimal places (half up). If a cheque has cents, write them out in full as well as the digits, because banks go by the words when the two disagree.
- Does it use the American or the British way of saying numbers?
- Both are available. The default is American ('one hundred one'). Switch on British 'and' for 'one hundred and one'. The scale is the short scale in both cases, so one billion means a thousand million.
- What is the largest number it can write?
- Numbers up to 21 digits, which reaches the quintillions. Anything longer is refused with a message rather than being written wrongly.
- How are decimals written?
- Digit by digit after the word 'point', so 12.05 becomes 'twelve point zero five'. For money, use the cheque line, which writes the part after the decimal as cents, pence or paise.
- How does the cheque amount round?
- It uses two decimal places and rounds half up, so 0.999 becomes one dollar only and 2.005 becomes two dollars and one cent. Check the result against the figure you plan to write.
- Why is there no ordinal for my number?
- Ordinals such as 'twenty-first' are shown only for whole numbers that are not negative. Decimals and negative numbers have no ordinal form.
How to use Number to Words
Type a number into the box; commas and spaces are ignored and decimals and a leading minus sign are accepted. The words, the ordinal form (for whole numbers) and a cheque-style amount appear at once. Choose a currency for the cheque line, turn on the British 'and' if you want 'one hundred and one', and use each Copy button for the line you need.
When to use it
Handy for filling in cheques and invoices where the amount must be written out, for contracts and legal text, for certificates and invitations, and for checking how a large figure is said aloud. The ordinal line helps with dates and rankings such as twenty-first or one hundredth.
When not to use it
It writes English only. It is not a legal or banking authority, so for a cheque or contract check that the words match the figures and follow your bank's or lawyer's rules. Very large numbers beyond 21 digits are refused, and fractions such as 1/2 are not understood.
Tips for best results
For British style turn on the 'and' option: 1,001 becomes 'one thousand and one'. On a cheque, put the words on the line and add 'only' when there are no cents, which the cheque line does for you. Type the number with its decimals, such as 250.00, to see the cheque form.
Limitations
Names up to quintillions use the short scale, so a billion is a thousand million. Decimals are read digit by digit ('point zero five'). The ordinal line appears only for non-negative whole numbers. The cheque line rounds to two decimals (half up), is shown only for positive amounts, and uses the simple names dollar, pound, euro, rupee with cents, pence or paise; it does not use lakh or crore grouping.
Privacy
The conversion is plain arithmetic on the text in the box, in your browser. The number you type is not uploaded or saved.
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