Three Thousand Four Hundred in Numbers

How to write 3,400 in words

The number 3,400 is written “three thousand four hundred” in British English.

The simplest method is to read the figure in groups of three digits from the left and name each group:

1. 3,000 is 3 in the thousands place, so we write “three thousand”.
2. 400 is what remains, written “four hundred”.
3. Join the groups in order, without “and” between them: “three thousand four hundred”.

In running text the number is normally lowercase: “the fee is three thousand four hundred pounds”. At the start of a sentence, in a heading, or on a legal document it takes capitals: Three Thousand Four Hundred. Formal documents often give both forms together, for example “three thousand four hundred (3,400)”, so that a reader can check one against the other.

4 words · 24 letters · 3,400 = 3.4 × 1,000 (one thousand)

Three Thousand Four Hundred in figures

To turn “three thousand four hundred” back into digits, work group by group. Each group word (billion, million, thousand) marks a block of three digits, so any block that is missing or short is padded with zeros. The result is 3,400, or 3400 without separators.

In expanded form: 3,000 + 400 = 3,400.

Commas go after every third digit counting from the right: 3,400. In Britain and the United States this is the standard grouping; in much of Europe the same number appears as 3.400, and international scientific style uses spaces: 3 400.

How to write 3,400 on a cheque

Banks read the amount in words as the legal amount, so it must be exact. Write the pounds in words, add the word pounds, and finish with only so that nothing can be added afterwards.

• With pence: add the pence after the pounds – “Three thousand four hundred pounds and fifty pence only” for £3,400.50 – or write the pence as a fraction, “Three thousand four hundred pounds 50/100”.
• US check: “Three thousand four hundred and 00/100 dollars”. American cheques drop the “and” after the hundreds and put it before the cents.
• Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: the currency word comes first and the amount is counted in lakh and crore – “Taka three thousand four hundred only”, with the figure written Tk. 3,400/=.

Read the full guide to writing a UK cheque or the guide to writing a cheque in Bangladesh for the layout, the date, and what to do if the words and figures disagree.

3,400 in British and American English

3,400 is spelled exactly the same way – “three thousand four hundred” – in British and American English. The two varieties only differ when a number contains hundreds followed by tens or units, where British English adds “and”. Read more in our guide to British vs American English numbers.

Common mistakes when writing 3,400

• Adding “and” between groups. three thousand and four hundred is wrong – “and” only follows the hundreds, never the word thousand or million.
• Pluralising the group words. It is thousand, hundred, never “hundreds”, “thousands” or “millions” after a number.
• Using shorthand in formal documents. 3.4k is fine in a message, but a cheque or contract needs three thousand four hundred or 3,400.
• Miscounting the zeros. 3,400 has 4 digits. Check the commas: every group between commas should have exactly three digits.

Other ways to write 3,400

Half of 3,400 is 1,700 (one thousand seven hundred). Double 3,400 is 6,800 (six thousand eight hundred).