Two

How to spell two

3 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce two

What does two mean?

1. determinerThe cardinal number equal to one plus one; the number 2.

Two in a sentence

• I have two brothers and one sister.

• Please give me two of those biscuits.

• It takes two to tango.

• She turned two years old yesterday.

• I'll have two teas, please.

Where does two come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is one of the oldest words in English, descending directly from Old English twa, the feminine and neuter form of the number, alongside the masculine twegen (which survives in 'twain'). It traces back to the Proto-Germanic twai and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root dwo, meaning simply 'two', a root so ancient that it underlies the equivalent words across most European languages, including Latin duo and Greek duo. The puzzling silent 'w' in the modern spelling is a genuine fossil: it was once pronounced, and you can still hear that lost 'w' sound in close relatives such as 'twin', 'twice', 'twenty', 'twine', and 'between', all of which carry the same idea of pairing. Over time the 'w' fell silent before the rounded vowel, but the letter stubbornly stayed in the spelling, which is exactly why 'two' looks so unlike how it sounds. Recognising the family of 'tw-' words is the surest way to remember why this little number keeps its hidden 'w'.

How the word is built

• Numeral. Related to twin, twice.

Words that sound like two

They sound the same but mean different things, so the meaning decides which spelling to write.

• to: Expressing motion or direction toward a place, person, or condition, or marking the infinitive of a verb.
• too: To a higher degree than is desirable or acceptable; or, in addition.