Have you ever wondered whether forty or fourty is the correct spelling of the number 40? You’re not alone. Many English writers make this mistake because the word four contains a U, making fourty look like the natural spelling. However, the correct spelling is forty, without the letter U. The spelling fourty is considered incorrect in modern standard English.
Whether you’re writing a birthday message, preparing a financial document, describing someone’s age, or completing an English assignment, remember that forty is always the standard spelling of 40 in American English. Let’s explore why this spelling is different, how to use it correctly, and how to avoid this common mistake.
Which Spelling Is Correct: Forty or Fourty?
Forty is correct, while fourty is incorrect in modern standard English.
Although both spellings may look reasonable, only forty is accepted in contemporary standard English dictionaries.
| Word | Status | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Forty | Correct | Standard English spelling of 40 |
| Fourty | Incorrect | Common misspelling of forty |
The number forty comes after thirty-nine and before forty-one. It represents four groups of ten.
Correct examples:
- My grandmother is forty years old.
- We need forty chairs for the event.
- The journey takes approximately forty minutes.
- He donated forty dollars to the organization.
Incorrect examples:
- My grandmother is fourty years old.
- We need fourty chairs for the event.
- The journey takes fourty minutes.
- He donated fourty dollars.
The difference is just one letter, but that small mistake can make your writing look less polished. Always choose forty, regardless of the sentence or situation.
What Does Forty Mean?
Forty is a cardinal number representing the quantity 40. It is used to count people, objects, money, time, years, and other measurable things.
In mathematics, forty is an even composite number. It comes after 39 and before 41, and it can be divided evenly by several numbers, including 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10.
Here are some everyday examples:
- Age: My father will turn forty next year.
- Money: The jacket costs forty dollars.
- Time: I’ll meet you in forty minutes.
- Quantity: The school received forty new books.
- Distance: The next town is forty miles away.
In each situation, forty communicates the same numerical value. Its spelling never changes simply because the context changes.
Why Is Forty Spelled Without a U?
This is the question that makes the spelling particularly confusing.
The word four contains the letter U, and the number fourteen also keeps it. Therefore, many people assume that adding the suffix -ty to four should produce fourty.
However, English spelling doesn’t always follow predictable patterns.
The accepted spelling is forty, not fourty. The modern spelling developed through historical changes in English rather than a simple process of attaching a suffix to the modern word four.
Consider these related number words:
| Number | Correct spelling |
|---|---|
| 4 | Four |
| 14 | Fourteen |
| 40 | Forty |
| 44 | Forty-four |
| 45 | Forty-five |
| 400 | Four hundred |
| 4000 | Four thousand |
Notice that the U disappears in forty and remains absent in related compound numbers such as forty-four and forty-five.
The easiest thing to remember is that forty has no U. You don’t need to apply a complicated spelling rule every time you write it.
What Is the History Behind the Word Forty?
The history of forty explains why its spelling doesn’t perfectly match the modern spelling of four.
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word can be traced to Old English fēowertig, with roots associated with feower, meaning four, and tig, meaning a group of ten. Etymology, Origin & Meaning+1
Over time, English spelling and pronunciation developed, and different written forms appeared.
The historical development included variations such as:
- Old English: fēowertig
- Middle English: Several forms, including fourti
- Historical spelling variation: fourty
- Modern standard English: forty
The spelling fourty appeared in earlier English usage, which helps explain why it can still look familiar to modern readers. However, historical existence does not make it the correct modern spelling. Hot Pepper Communications+2
Today, forty is the accepted form in standard American and British English.
How to Use Forty Correctly in a Sentence
Understanding the spelling is important, but knowing how to use the word naturally is equally useful.
Forty commonly appears before nouns to express a quantity or measurement. It can also stand alone when the number itself is being discussed.
Here are practical examples from everyday English.
1. Talking about age
My uncle celebrated his fortieth birthday last weekend.
She will turn forty in December.
2. Talking about money
I spent forty dollars on groceries.
The company offered a forty-dollar discount.
3. Talking about time
The presentation lasted forty minutes.
We waited for forty minutes before the bus arrived.
4. Talking about quantity
Forty students participated in the competition.
The library purchased forty new books.
5. Talking about distance
The airport is forty miles from my house.
They traveled forty kilometers to attend the event.
These examples show how easily forty fits into everyday communication. The spelling remains the same whether it describes age, money, distance, or quantity.
Is It Forty-Five or Fourty-Five?
The correct spelling is forty-five, not fourty-five.
When writing compound numbers between 21 and 99, English generally uses a hyphen between the tens and units when spelling them out.
Examples include:
| Number | Correct spelling |
|---|---|
| 41 | Forty-one |
| 42 | Forty-two |
| 43 | Forty-three |
| 44 | Forty-four |
| 45 | Forty-five |
| 46 | Forty-six |
| 47 | Forty-seven |
| 48 | Forty-eight |
| 49 | Forty-nine |
Notice that every compound number begins with forty, without a U.
Example: Forty-five employees attended the annual meeting.
Writing fourty-five would be a spelling error.
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Forty vs. Fortieth vs. Fourth vs. Fourteen
These words look similar, but they have different meanings and grammatical uses. Understanding their differences can help prevent additional number-spelling mistakes.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Four | Number 4 | I have four pencils. |
| Fourteen | Number 14 | She bought fourteen flowers. |
| Forty | Number 40 | Forty people attended. |
| Fourth | Position number 4 | He finished fourth in the race. |
| Fortieth | Position number 40 | Today is her fortieth birthday. |
What is the difference between forty and fortieth?
Forty is a cardinal number that tells you how many.
Fortieth is an ordinal number that tells you the position or order of something.
For example:
- There are forty students in the classroom.
- She celebrated her fortieth birthday.
The ordinal form also does not contain a U.
What is the difference between forty and fourth?
Forty represents the number 40, whereas fourth represents the fourth position in a sequence.
Examples:
- He purchased forty tickets.
- She finished fourth in the competition.
Although both words relate to the number four, their meanings and spellings are different.
Is Forty Spelled the Same in American and British English?
Yes. Forty is spelled exactly the same in American and British English.
Some English words have different spellings depending on the variety of English being used. For example, American English commonly uses color, while British English uses colour.
However, forty is not one of those words.
| English variety | Correct spelling |
|---|---|
| American English | Forty |
| British English | Forty |
| Canadian English | Forty |
| Australian English | Forty |
There is no standard regional variation that makes fourty correct.
This means that whether you’re writing an American school assignment, a British business email, or an Australian report, you should always use forty.
How to Remember the Correct Spelling of Forty
If you regularly confuse forty and fourty, a simple memory technique can help.
Remember: Four has a U, but forty loses it.
Think of the two words as separate spellings rather than assuming that one must follow the other.
Here are three practical ways to remember:
1. Memorize the correct form
Write the word forty several times. Repetition helps you recognize the standard spelling more quickly.
2. Remember the number sequence
Think of thirty, forty, and fifty. The correct sequence is:
Thirty – Forty – Fifty.
3. Connect forty with fortieth
Both forty and fortieth are written without a U. Remembering these related forms makes it easier to avoid the mistake.
A particularly useful trick is to remember this sentence:
“Forty has four letters before the T? No! Forty has five letters, and no U.”
The word forty contains five letters: F, O, R, T, and Y.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Forty
Even experienced writers sometimes make spelling errors when typing quickly or relying on familiar-looking patterns.
Here are common mistakes and their corrections:
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| Fourty | Forty |
| Fourty-one | Forty-one |
| Fourty-two | Forty-two |
| Fourty-five | Forty-five |
| Fourty years | Forty years |
| Fourty dollars | Forty dollars |
| Fourty minutes | Forty minutes |
| Fourty-first | Forty-first |
| Fourtyth | Fortieth |
One useful proofreading habit is to search your document for the spelling fourty. If it appears as an ordinary reference to the number 40, replace it with forty.
This is particularly helpful when preparing professional emails, school assignments, reports, invoices, and other formal documents.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it forty or fourty?
Forty is the correct spelling of the number 40. Fourty is a common misspelling and should not be used in modern standard English.
2. How do you spell the number 40 in words?
The number 40 is spelled forty. It contains five letters and does not include the letter U.
3. Why is forty not spelled fourty?
Forty developed through historical changes in English spelling. Although its roots are connected to the word four, the modern standard spelling does not retain the U.
4. Is fourty a real word?
Fourty appears in historical English as an obsolete spelling and is also used as a modern misspelling. It is not the accepted spelling of 40 in contemporary standard English.
5. Is it forty-five or fourty-five?
Forty-five is correct. The word forty never takes a U, including when it forms part of a compound number.
6. Is it forty or fourty dollars?
The correct expression is forty dollars. For example, “I paid forty dollars for the shoes.”
7. How do you spell 40th?
The number 40th is spelled fortieth. It is an ordinal number used to describe a position or sequence.
8. Is fortieth spelled with a U?
No. Fortieth is spelled without a U, just like forty. For example, “Today is his fortieth birthday.”
9. Do Americans and British people spell forty differently?
No. Both American and British English use forty. There is no standard spelling difference between these varieties.
10. What is an easy way to remember forty?
Remember that the number four has a U, but forty does not. Memorize the spelling F-O-R-T-Y to avoid the common mistake.
Final Verdict: Forty or Fourty?
The answer is simple: forty is correct, and fourty is incorrect in modern standard English.
Although the spelling may seem unusual because the word four contains a U, forty follows its own established spelling.
Whenever you write the number 40, use forty. The same applies to forty-one, forty-five, forty dollars, and fortieth.
Keep one simple rule in mind: Forty has no U. Remembering these five letters will help you write confidently and avoid this common English spelling mistake.
