# Rule 2: Thirteen versus thirty

Easy start. Rule 2 of 6.

> **The rule:** Stress the end of -teen numbers and the start of -ty numbers.

In -teen numbers, stress the last syllable and hold its ii longer, matching the recording. In -ty numbers, stress the first syllable and say the final i short, with a full _t_.

This works the same way in both styles, and it helps avoid mistakes with prices, dates and quantities.

**Figure: Stress in -teen and -ty numbers.** The stressed syllable is louder, longer and higher. In -teen numbers it is the last one, and its ii is long.

- thirteen (13): thəə-**tiin** versus thirty (30): **thəə**-ti
- fourteen (14): foo-**tiin** versus forty (40): **foo**-ti
- fifteen (15): fif-**tiin** versus fifty (50): **fif**-ti

## -teen and -ty numbers

| -teen | -ty |
| - | - |
| 13 thirteen (thəə-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-13.mp3?v=5b4db4411a06) | 30 thirty (**thəə**-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-30.mp3?v=92b3be428c0f) |
| 14 fourteen (foo-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-14.mp3?v=83b43f4ccd03) | 40 forty (**foo**-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-40.mp3?v=b786c27a7260) |
| 15 fifteen (fif-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-15.mp3?v=2e230de3072e) | 50 fifty (**fif**-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-50.mp3?v=25a9e4982eba) |
| 16 sixteen (siks-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-16.mp3?v=11127635063f) | 60 sixty (**siks**-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-60.mp3?v=8b47bea29a54) |
| 17 seventeen (se-vən-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-17.mp3?v=1b2c9122d083) | 70 seventy (**se**-vən-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-70.mp3?v=cdafd16cc2a4) |
| 18 eighteen (ei-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-18.mp3?v=95975c3b8a64) | 80 eighty (**ei**-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-80.mp3?v=1a40c128cdef) |
| 19 nineteen (nain-**tiin**) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-19.mp3?v=3dc1387878ce) | 90 ninety (**nain**-ti) [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/n-90.mp3?v=c05e0b90de4f) |

Practise twenty with the -ty pattern: _**twen**-ti_, with a clear _t_.

> **Listening to native speakers:**
>
> Before a noun, native speakers sometimes move the stress forward ('_**thəə**-tiin_ days'), so the long ii and
> the final n are your most reliable signal. Americans may say thirty as _**thər**-di_: listen for the long ii
> and final n to identify thirteen.

## The th in three

Three, thirteen and thirty all start with th. Put the tip of your tongue lightly between your teeth and blow air out. If your top teeth touch your lower lip instead, three sounds like free; if your tongue stops the air, it sounds like tree.

| Say th | Not to be confused with |
| - | - |
| three [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-three-f.mp3?v=8cba2d886823) | free [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-free.mp3?v=1762c4e04320) |
| three [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-three-t.mp3?v=8cba2d886823) | tree [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-tree.mp3?v=ae31f0add1ec) |

The same th comes in third and thousand, and at the end of fourth and fifth:

- third [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-third.mp3?v=a16f53eabd4b)
- thousand [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-thousand.mp3?v=afa7be2f6153)
- fourth [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-fourth.mp3?v=554b30cb2d5a)
- fifth [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/th-fifth.mp3?v=e97c277caf5a)

## Confirm the number

For prices, dates, times and quantities, confirm the number in digits:

- Thirteen, that's one-three. [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/s-n-1.mp3?v=ccae8e773f39)

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From Clear English Rwanda: https://clear-english.rw/rules/thirteen-vs-thirty

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