About the Number to Words
Write any number in words, for a cheque, an invoice, a contract or a form that asks for the amount in words. Money amounts come out as dollars and cents, pounds and pence, euros or rupees and paise, with the cents in words or as a fraction like 56/100.
Choose international numbering (million, billion) or the Indian system (lakh, crore), and US or British style for the word 'and'.
How it works
The number is split into groups and each group is written in words. In the international system the groups have three digits each: units, thousands, millions, billions and so on, where a billion is a thousand million (the short scale, also the official British usage since 1974). In the Indian system the last three digits form one group and then the groups have two digits: thousand, lakh (1,00,000) and crore (1,00,00,000). Larger amounts are counted in crores, so 48,21,000 crore is 'forty-eight lakh twenty-one thousand crore', as government budgets write it.
Numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine are hyphenated. In British style the word 'and' goes after 'hundred' and before a final part under 100 (one thousand and one); American style leaves it out.
Assumptions and limits
- Whole numbers up to 36 digits are supported, which reaches just under one undecillion.
- Money must have at most two decimal places. Extra decimals are refused rather than rounded, so the words always match the figure you typed.
- Digits after a decimal point in a plain number are read one by one: 3.14 is 'three point one four'.
Worked examples
A US cheque for $1,234.56
Written out: 'One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100', with the word 'dollars' already printed at the end of the cheque line. In full words it is 'one thousand two hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty-six cents'.
A rupee cheque for ₹1,50,000
In the Indian system 1,50,000 is one lakh fifty thousand, so the cheque reads 'One lakh fifty thousand rupees only'. The word 'only' marks the end of the amount so nothing can be added after it.
A British invoice total of £2,345
British style puts 'and' before the last part: 'two thousand three hundred and forty-five pounds'. The American version is 'two thousand three hundred forty-five'.
Large number names
| Number | International | Indian |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | one thousand | one thousand |
| 100,000 / 1,00,000 | one hundred thousand | one lakh |
| 1,000,000 / 10,00,000 | one million | ten lakh |
| 10,000,000 / 1,00,00,000 | ten million | one crore |
| 1,000,000,000 / 1,00,00,00,000 | one billion | one hundred crore |
| 1,000,000,000,000 | one trillion | one lakh crore |
How to use the Number to Words
- Type the number. Use a dot for decimals; commas in the usual places are fine.
- Choose money or plain, and the system. Pick the currency and how cents should appear.
- Copy the words. Choose sentence case, title case or capitals, then copy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write cents on a US cheque?
Write the dollars in words, then 'and', then the cents as a fraction of 100: 'Five hundred twelve and 75/100'. For a whole-dollar amount write 'and 00/100' so nothing can be squeezed in after the words.
Should I write 'one hundred and one' or 'one hundred one'?
Both are correct; it depends on the style you follow. British English normally includes 'and' after hundred, while American English usually leaves it out. Pick the style switch to match the document or the country of the bank.
What are lakh and crore?
Units used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. A lakh is 100,000, written 1,00,000, and a crore is 10 million, written 1,00,00,000. Amounts above that are usually said in crores, such as 'one thousand crore'.
Is a billion a thousand million or a million million?
A thousand million (10⁹) in modern English worldwide; this is the short scale. The older British 'long scale' billion of a million million is no longer used officially, so this page always uses the short scale.
Why does it say 'only' at the end?
Ending a cheque amount with 'only', as in 'Rupees ten thousand only', is common in India, Pakistan and the UK. It closes the sentence so nothing can be added later. Tick the option if your bank or employer expects it.
Sources
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