The Seven Roman Numeral Symbols
Roman numerals use seven letters from the Latin alphabet. Each letter represents a fixed value. All numbers from 1 to 3,999 can be expressed by combining these seven symbols:
I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1,000
In addition, six subtractive pairs are recognised in standard notation: IV (4), IX (9), XL (40), XC (90), CD (400), and CM (900). These prevent a symbol from being repeated more than three times in a row.
How to Read Roman Numerals
Reading Roman numerals follows two rules applied left-to-right:
Additive rule
When a symbol is followed by one of equal or lesser value, add the values together. For example, VII = 5 + 1 + 1 = 7, and LX = 50 + 10 = 60.
Subtractive rule
When a smaller symbol appears immediately before a larger one, subtract the smaller from the larger. Only these six subtractive combinations are valid: IV (4), IX (9), XL (40), XC (90), CD (400), CM (900). For example, XIV = 10 + (5 − 1) = 14, and XL = 50 − 10 = 40.
Common Roman Numerals (1–100)
The table below lists all integers from 1 to 100 expressed as Roman numerals for quick reference.
| No. | Roman | No. | Roman | No. | Roman | No. | Roman | No. | Roman |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | 21 | XXI | 41 | XLI | 61 | LXI | 81 | LXXXI |
| 2 | II | 22 | XXII | 42 | XLII | 62 | LXII | 82 | LXXXII |
| 3 | III | 23 | XXIII | 43 | XLIII | 63 | LXIII | 83 | LXXXIII |
| 4 | IV | 24 | XXIV | 44 | XLIV | 64 | LXIV | 84 | LXXXIV |
| 5 | V | 25 | XXV | 45 | XLV | 65 | LXV | 85 | LXXXV |
| 6 | VI | 26 | XXVI | 46 | XLVI | 66 | LXVI | 86 | LXXXVI |
| 7 | VII | 27 | XXVII | 47 | XLVII | 67 | LXVII | 87 | LXXXVII |
| 8 | VIII | 28 | XXVIII | 48 | XLVIII | 68 | LXVIII | 88 | LXXXVIII |
| 9 | IX | 29 | XXIX | 49 | XLIX | 69 | LXIX | 89 | LXXXIX |
| 10 | X | 30 | XXX | 50 | L | 70 | LXX | 90 | XC |
| 11 | XI | 31 | XXXI | 51 | LI | 71 | LXXI | 91 | XCI |
| 12 | XII | 32 | XXXII | 52 | LII | 72 | LXXII | 92 | XCII |
| 13 | XIII | 33 | XXXIII | 53 | LIII | 73 | LXXIII | 93 | XCIII |
| 14 | XIV | 34 | XXXIV | 54 | LIV | 74 | LXXIV | 94 | XCIV |
| 15 | XV | 35 | XXXV | 55 | LV | 75 | LXXV | 95 | XCV |
| 16 | XVI | 36 | XXXVI | 56 | LVI | 76 | LXXVI | 96 | XCVI |
| 17 | XVII | 37 | XXXVII | 57 | LVII | 77 | LXXVII | 97 | XCVII |
| 18 | XVIII | 38 | XXXVIII | 58 | LVIII | 78 | LXXVIII | 98 | XCVIII |
| 19 | XIX | 39 | XXXIX | 59 | LIX | 79 | LXXIX | 99 | XCIX |
| 20 | XX | 40 | XL | 60 | LX | 80 | LXXX | 100 | C |
Rules for Writing Roman Numerals
Standard Roman numeral notation follows four main rules:
Rule 1 — Repetition limit
The symbols I, X, C, and M may be repeated up to three times in a row (e.g. III = 3, XXX = 30). The symbols V, L, and D may never be repeated.
Rule 2 — Subtractive notation
To avoid four repetitions, use a subtractive pair instead: IV instead of IIII, IX instead of VIIII, XL instead of XXXX, and so on. Only the six standard pairs (IV, IX, XL, XC, CD, CM) are valid.
Rule 3 — Descending order
Symbols are generally written from largest to smallest, left to right. A smaller symbol before a larger one signals subtraction; otherwise values are added.
Rule 4 — No zero
Roman numerals have no symbol for zero. The system can represent integers from 1 to 3,999 in standard form. The Romans used the Latin word nulla to convey the concept of "nothing."
Building 1994 symbol by symbol: MCMXCIV
Convert 1994 by peeling off the largest value at each step. 1994 starts with one thousand, so write M (1000) and 994 remains. The next chunk is 900 — not DCCCC but the subtractive pair CM — leaving 94. Ninety is the subtractive pair XC, leaving 4. And four is IV. Stitch them together in descending order: M + CM + XC + IV = MCMXCIV. Reading it back, 1000 + 900 + 90 + 4 returns 1994 — the classic copyright-year numeral.
What this converter cannot do
Standard Roman numerals only express whole numbers from 1 to 3,999, so this tool rejects anything outside that range. There is no symbol for zero and no way to write negative numbers or fractions in standard notation — the Romans handled fractions with a separate base-12 system of dots and symbols that this converter does not cover. Values above 3,999 historically used a vinculum (a bar drawn over a numeral to multiply it by 1,000), but that notation is non-standard, renders inconsistently in plain text, and is deliberately excluded. If you need years, clock faces, book chapters, or sequel numbering, the 1–3,999 range covers virtually every real use; for arithmetic or large-scale computation, stick with ordinary decimal numbers.
Roman numeral questions
What is 2024 in Roman numerals?
2024 in Roman numerals is MMXXIV. It breaks down as: MM = 2000, XX = 20, IV = 4. So MM (2000) + XX (20) + IV (4) = 2024.
How do you write 2025 in Roman numerals?
2025 in Roman numerals is MMXXV. It breaks down as: MM = 2000, XX = 20, V = 5. So MM (2000) + XX (20) + V (5) = 2025.
What are the Roman numeral symbols?
There are seven basic Roman numeral symbols: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000. All other numbers are formed by combining these symbols using additive and subtractive notation.
What is XIV in numbers?
XIV in numbers is 14. It is formed by the subtractive rule: X (10) + IV (4) = 14. Because I (1) comes before V (5), it means 5 minus 1 = 4, so IV = 4. Then 10 + 4 = 14.
What is the largest Roman numeral?
The largest standard Roman numeral is MMMCMXCIX, which equals 3999. It breaks down as: MMM = 3000, CM = 900, XC = 90, IX = 9. Numbers larger than 3999 traditionally require special notation such as a vinculum (overline) which is not part of standard Roman numeral rules.