How do you count from sixty to sixty-nine in Spanish?

After 'sesenta,' you add 'y' plus the ones digit: sesenta y uno, sesenta y dos, sesenta y tres, and so on up to sesenta y nueve.

Is 'sesenta' related to the Latin word for six?

The word 'sesenta' derives from the Latin 'sexaginta,' which itself comes from 'sex' (six), reflecting that sixty is six groups of ten.

How do you say 'the sixties' as a decade in Spanish?

The decade is referred to as 'los sesenta' or 'los años sesenta,' as in 'la música de los sesenta' (music of the sixties).

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Sixty in Spanish

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Sesenta · noun · seh-SEHN-tah

The Spanish word for sixty is 'sesenta.' It follows the pattern of Spanish tens (treinta, cuarenta, cincuenta, sesenta) and is straightforward to use in counting, ages, and measurements.

Pronounce 'sesenta' as seh-SEHN-tah, with the stress on the second syllable. Keep both 's' sounds soft.

Mi abuelo cumplió sesenta años ayer.

My grandfather turned sixty years old yesterday.

How Native Speakers Use Sesenta

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Talking about age

Ella tiene sesenta y dos años.

She is sixty-two years old.

Describing someone's age.

Minutes in an hour

Una hora tiene sesenta minutos.

An hour has sixty minutes.

Explaining time measurements.

Speed limit

El límite de velocidad es sesenta kilómetros por hora.

The speed limit is sixty kilometers per hour.

Discussing driving rules.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Sesenta

Confusing 'sesenta' with 'setenta'

Incorrect: Tengo setenta dólares (meaning sixty).

Correct: Tengo sesenta dólares.

'Sesenta' means sixty while 'setenta' means seventy. They sound similar but the difference is in the second syllable: 'se-' versus 'te-.'

Adding 'y' incorrectly for round numbers

Incorrect: Hay sesenta y personas.

Correct: Hay sesenta personas.

The word 'y' is only added when combining tens with ones, as in 'sesenta y tres' (sixty-three). For the round number sixty alone, no 'y' is needed.

Lock in sixty Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Sesenta used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using sesenta in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mi abuelo cumplió sesenta años ayer. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About sixty in Spanish

How do you count from sixty to sixty-nine in Spanish?: After 'sesenta,' you add 'y' plus the ones digit: sesenta y uno, sesenta y dos, sesenta y tres, and so on up to sesenta y nueve.
Is 'sesenta' related to the Latin word for six?: The word 'sesenta' derives from the Latin 'sexaginta,' which itself comes from 'sex' (six), reflecting that sixty is six groups of ten.
How do you say 'the sixties' as a decade in Spanish?: The decade is referred to as 'los sesenta' or 'los años sesenta,' as in 'la música de los sesenta' (music of the sixties).