Number to Words Converter

The number is split into groups of three digits from the right: units, thousands, millions and so on. Each group is written as a number under a thousand, then given its name, so 1,234,567 becomes “one million”, “two hundred thirty-four thousand” and “five hundred sixty-seven”. Empty groups are skipped, which is why 1,000,005 is just “one million five”.

With Lakh and crore on, the digits are grouped the Indian way instead: the last three, then pairs for thousands, lakhs and crores. Above a crore the count carries on in crores, so 10¹² is “one lakh crore”.

The four ways to write a number:

• Words: the plain number, with decimals read digit by digit.
• Amount: money, with the main and small units, such as dollars and cents.
• Cheque: the wording banks expect on a cheque in each country. See how to write a cheque.
• Ordinal: a position rather than a quantity, such as “twenty-first”.

Style guides differ in the details, but most agree on a few rules for ordinary writing:

• Spell out numbers that begin a sentence: “Twelve people came”, not “12 people came”.
• Spell out small numbers in prose. Many guides say one to nine; Chicago style says up to one hundred.
• Use figures for measurements, dates, percentages and anything people will compare or calculate with.
• Write amounts in words on cheques, contracts and legal documents, where the words guard against a figure being changed.