dieciséis
/djeθiˈseis/ · B2 · num
sixteen
🔢 dieciséis = diez (ten) + y (and) + seis (six) → 10 + 6
Dieciséis is a contraction of diez y seis, meaning ten and six. The pieces fuse: diez becomes dieci-, y becomes i, and seis stays. Numbers 16 to 19 and 21 to 29 all follow this same pattern.