Spell Out Numbers With number

Turn an Arabic numeral into written English words.

LinuxTerminalscriptingLow risk
Run number -l 2026 to print the number as English words on one line.

01Command

Command
$ number -l 2026

02What it does

The bsdgames number utility converts digits into English words and can also handle fractions. Without -l it groups each thousand-magnitude on its own line, and with no arguments it reads numbers from standard input, so it can be used in pipelines.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
Requirementssudo apt install bsdgames
!Warning: It understands fractions but not exponents, and only English output is supported.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • Debian package: bsdgames
    Debian · vendor-doc · 2026-09-20
    Evidence: Installs bsdgames, which includes the number conversion utility.
  • number(6) — Debian manpage
    Debian · technical · 2026-09-20
    Evidence: Documents number, which prints the English equivalent of numerals.

Last verified: 2026-09-20 · Category: Developer

06Related solutions