What are the seven Roman numeral letters?

I=1, V=5, X=10, L=50, C=100, D=500 and M=1000.

Beginner guide · Reading method

How to Read Roman Numerals

Q: How do you read Roman numerals?

Read left to right, adding each letter's value. When a smaller letter comes before a larger one, subtract it instead. So XIV is 10 + (5 − 1) = 14.

Q: How do you read MCMLXXXIV?

M=1000, CM=900, LXXX=80, IV=4, giving 1984.

Updated: June 2026

Roman numerals look intimidating until you learn the one rule that runs the whole system: read left to right and add, unless a smaller letter sits in front of a bigger one — then subtract. Master that single idea and you can decode a film's copyright line, a clock face or a king's name on sight.

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Step 1 — learn the seven letters

There are only seven symbols, and they never change value:

Letter	I	V	X	L	C	D	M
Value	1	5	10	50	100	500	1000

A useful memory hook: I Value Xylophones Like Cows Do Milk. Once these seven are second nature, everything else is arithmetic.

Step 2 — add from left to right

Walk through the letters one at a time, keeping a running total. As long as each letter is the same size or smaller than the one before it, you simply add. MMVII is 1000 + 1000 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 2007. No tricks needed; the values just pile up.

M M V I I
1000 1000 5 1 1  →  2007

Step 3 — spot the subtractions

The one exception: whenever a smaller letter appears immediately before a larger one, that pair means "the big one minus the small one." There are only six such pairs, and they always involve I, X or C:

Pair	Value	Pair	Value
IV	4	XL	40
IX	9	XC	90
CD	400	CM	900

So in XIV you read X as 10, then see IV as a subtraction pair worth 4, giving 14. The trick is to scan ahead: before adding a letter, glance at the next one — if it is bigger, you are looking at a pair.

Worked example: MCMLXXXIV

Long numerals are just several of these steps in a row. Break the string into chunks where each chunk is either a single addition or a subtraction pair:

M    = 1000
CM   = 900   (100 before 1000)
LXXX = 80    (50 + 10 + 10 + 10)
IV   = 4     (1 before 5)
total = 1984

Reading in chunks keeps long numerals manageable. The converter's breakdown view shows exactly these pieces, which is a good way to check your own reading as you practise.

Quick practice

XXVII → 10 + 10 + 5 + 1 + 1 = 27
XLIX → 40 + 9 = 49
DCCXII → 500 + 100 + 100 + 10 + 1 + 1 = 712
MMXXVI → 1000 + 1000 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1 = 2026

Frequently asked questions

How do you read Roman numerals?

Read left to right and add each value; when a smaller letter precedes a larger one, subtract it. So XIV = 10 + (5 − 1) = 14.

What are the seven letters?

I=1, V=5, X=10, L=50, C=100, D=500, M=1000.

How do you read MCMLXXXIV?

M=1000, CM=900, LXXX=80, IV=4 → 1984.

Is there a zero?

No. Roman numerals are purely additive and have no zero symbol; counting starts at I = 1.