Numbers in Daily Life

You might ask yourself, Why is all this about numbers? As I see it, we all use numbers every day and in different ways depending on the country you live and the system used.

Have you notice on how telephone numbers are said differentially in many countries? Did you ever paired the telephone numbers like 74-24-55? I do. As telephone systems have changed, so have changed that way the numbers were given and so the way they are said. As far as I can remember, we always try to pair the numbers unless there might be confused with another like 67 and 77. Bellow there is a small dialogue on how to ask for a telephone number:

El: ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?---What is your telephone number?
E2: Es el cuatro, treinta y tres, veintiocho, veintiuno. ----It is four, thirty-three, twenty-eight, twenty-one

In Argentina, in the  interior of Córdoba there are two ways to write in case you use the home or the cell:

If the phone is home dial +54 - 3571 - 428900;

if it is a cell number then dial +54 - 93571 - 512345. 

Note that number +54 to tell you the zone, and 9 is added after 54 for a cellular and without 15 if it is a cellular phone.

 So, How would you say (011) 5195-5245?

If a phone is written in this way: 724-8361 then we say it: siete-veinticuatro-ochenta y tres- sesenta y uno (or seis, uno).

 In addition, if it is better, you can say them individually 987-0957  nueve-ocho-siete-cero-nueve-cinco-siete                                          

Numbers are usually said in pairs.  But, this can vary depending on the length of a number. In the examples, my commas symbolize silent spaces, which indicate that a chunk has ended, and a different one is starting (just like in English).

Telephone #: (215) 229-6438

I would say:  Dos quince, dos veintinueve, seis cuatro, treinta y ocho.

Here I chose to say "seis cuatro" instead of "sesenta y cuatro" because it could be confused with "setenta y cuatro".  My older relatives still pair the numbers even if they are written in the following format: XXX-XXXX

Telephone #2 1(800) 473-0836

Uno ochocientos, cuatro siete tres, cero ocho, treinta y seis (o tres seis)

Note: Here I chose to say "ochocientos" instead of ocho cero cero because it's much shorter.  I would normally say "treinta y seis" but I could also say "tres seis" because the rest of the numbers were all said individually.

In the following number, (612) 630-2130,  I would say seis-doce,seis-treinta, veintiuno, treinta. Like I said before, the unspoken rule is to pair. How do you say a telephone number in your country: number by number, paring the numbers or both?

 How do we answer a phone call?

In México, the phone is answered with "Bueno". When calling you identify yourself by saying: "Habla Elena" o "Soy Elena", ask for the person we would like to speak to: "¿está María?" and end the call by saying "Adiós" o "Bye".

In España, the call is answer in various ways:
¿Sí?
¿Hola?
¿Dígame? (some people use it as a formal way to answer)

End the call:
Hasta luego
Adiós
Nos vemos 

 In Venezuela, "Aló?", "Quien Habla", "Con Quien desea hablar"

In Argentina  "Hola" o un "Si?". Very few people might say "Aló?"
If it is a business: business name, your name. Next ask: En que puedo ayudarlo?"
To end the call: "Hasta Luego", "Nos vemos" o "Chao" 

In Colombia  Aló. To be more formal add: Aló buenos días.. tardes... noches.

In Puerto Rico , hello.