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Number to Words Converter
Type a number up to 999,999,999,999,999 and get it spelled out in English words, in both international naming (million, billion) and the lakh and crore system. Decimals and negative numbers are supported.
How a number is turned into words
The converter cuts the number into groups and reads each group on its own. In international naming the groups have three digits, counted from the right: units, thousand, million, billion and trillion. Each group from 1 to 999 is read as hundreds, then tens and units. So 1,234,567 becomes "one million", "two hundred thirty-four thousand" and "five hundred sixty-seven".
Numbers from 21 to 99 that are not multiples of ten take a hyphen, as in thirty-four. A zero group is skipped, which is why 1,000,005 reads "one million five", and zero by itself reads "zero". The scale names are the short scale, in which a billion is 109 and a trillion is 1012.
The lakh and crore system
In South Asia, large numbers are grouped differently. After the first three digits, groups have two digits each, with their own names: thousand, lakh (100,000), crore (10,000,000), arab (1,000,000,000), kharab (100,000,000,000) and neel (10,000,000,000,000). The number 12,34,567 is therefore "twelve lakh thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty-seven", the same quantity as 1,234,567.
| Figure | International | Lakh and crore |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 | one hundred thousand | one lakh |
| 1,000,000 | one million | ten lakh |
| 10,000,000 | ten million | one crore |
| 1,000,000,000 | one billion | one arab |
American and British style
American usage normally omits "and" inside a number: 101 is "one hundred one". British usage inserts "and" after the hundreds, giving "one hundred and one". The British option here also adds "and" before a final group below one hundred when something larger comes before it, so 1,001 is "one thousand and one". Both are accepted ways of writing the same figure; pick the style that matches your document.
Decimal digits are read one by one after the word "point", so 12.05 is "twelve point zero five". The tool does not convert money into dollars and cents or similar wording.
Limits and checking your result
The whole-number part can have up to 15 digits, which is where the lakh and crore names also end. Longer numbers are rejected rather than being rounded, because words must not change the value. The text is handled as digits, so there is no loss of precision from floating-point arithmetic.
When words are used for legal or financial documents, such as an amount on a cheque or contract, rules differ by institution and country. Read the instructions of the bank or authority and compare the figures with the words before signing. If they disagree, treat that as a mistake to correct, not as something the converter can settle.
Worked example
Write 1,234,567 in words, first in international naming and then in lakh and crore.
Inputs
| Number | 1234567 |
|---|---|
| English style | American (no "and": one hundred one) |
Result
International naming: thousand, million, billion, trillion.
| In figures, international grouping | 1,234,567 |
|---|---|
| In figures, lakh and crore grouping | 12,34,567 |
| In words, lakh and crore naming | twelve lakh thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty-seven |
| Digits in the whole-number part | 7 |
- Digits after the decimal point are read one by one, as in "point zero five". Use words for cheques only after checking your bank's own rules.
Accuracy note: Factors use the standard definitions stated on this page. Results are rounded for display; for engineering or legal work use the full-precision factors.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write 1,000,000 in words?
It is "one million" in international naming, and "ten lakh" in the lakh and crore system.
How many lakh are in a crore?
One crore is 100 lakh, which is 10,000,000. One lakh is 100,000.
What is the largest number the tool accepts?
The whole-number part can have 15 digits, up to 999,999,999,999,999 (nine hundred ninety-nine trillion and so on). Up to 20 decimal digits are accepted.
Does the tool use "and" in numbers?
The American option leaves it out, as in "one hundred one". The British option inserts it after the hundreds, as in "one hundred and one".
How are decimals and negatives read?
Decimal digits are read one at a time after "point", and negative numbers start with "minus". For example, -5.25 is "minus five point two five".