Roman numeral converter
Type a number or Roman numerals: it converts both ways. 1994 is written MCMXCIV.
- Checked on thousands of cases
- Updated November 6, 2026
For example: 1994 or MCMXCIV.
In Roman numerals
- M1000
- M1000
- X10
- X10
- V5
- I1
Quick challenge
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Test yourself: every answer is computed by the tool, and the wrong choices are the most common traps.
How it works
Formula: MCMXCIV = M + CM + XC + IV = 1000 + 900 + 90 + 4 = 1994
Seven letters are enough: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500 and M = 1,000. They are written from largest to smallest and added up: XV = 15. A letter placed before a larger one is subtracted, but only in six pairs: IV (4), IX (9), XL (40), XC (90), CD (400) and CM (900). No letter repeats more than three times, hence the maximum of 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX).
Worked examples
1994 in Roman numerals
MCMXCIV: M (1000) + CM (900) + XC (90) + IV (4).
2026 in Roman numerals
MMXXVI: MM (2000) + XX (20) + VI (6).
XLIX as a number
XL (40) + IX (9) = 49.
Common mistakes
Writing 4 as IIII.
It is IV: the I before the V is subtracted.
Writing 99 as IC.
Break it down: 90 + 9 = XC + IX = XCIX.
Writing 1990 as MXM.
1000 + 900 + 90 = M + CM + XC = MCMXC.
What the calculation leaves out
- From 1 to 3,999. Beyond that, the Romans put a bar over the letters (× 1,000), a form rarely used today.
- Clock faces often show IIII instead of IV: that is a tradition; the tool follows the standard form.
Common numbers in Roman numerals
| Number | Roman numerals |
|---|---|
| 1 | I |
| 4 | IV |
| 5 | V |
| 9 | IX |
| 10 | X |
| 14 | XIV |
| 19 | XIX |
| 40 | XL |
| 50 | L |
| 90 | XC |
| 100 | C |
| 400 | CD |
| 500 | D |
| 900 | CM |
| 1000 | M |
| 2000 | MM |
| 2026 | MMXXVI |
| 3999 | MMMCMXCIX |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write 2026 in Roman numerals?
MMXXVI: MM (2000) + XX (20) + VI (6).
Why is there no zero?
Roman numerals record amounts, not positions: there is no symbol for zero.
How do Super Bowl numbers work?
They are ordinary Roman numerals: LX = 50 + 10 = 60.