1938 in Roman numerals at a glance
- Roman numeral
- MCMXXXVIII
- Lowercase
- mcmxxxviii
- Letters
- 10
- Parts
- M · CM · X · X · X · V · I · I · I
- Subtractive pairs
- CM
- Read aloud
- nineteen thirty-eight
- Leap year?
- No
How MCMXXXVIII is built
Roman numerals are written one decimal place at a time, from the largest place to the smallest. Converting each digit of 1938 separately and joining the pieces gives MCMXXXVIII:
| Place | Digit | Value | Numeral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thousands | 1 | 1,000 | M |
| Hundreds | 9 | 900 | CM |
| Tens | 3 | 30 | XXX |
| Ones | 8 | 8 | VIII |
Reading it back, left to right:
- M = 1,000 → running total 1,000
- CM = 900 (M minus C) → running total 1,900
- X = 10 → running total 1,910
- X = 10 → running total 1,920
- X = 10 → running total 1,930
- V = 5 → running total 1,935
- I = 1 → running total 1,936
- I = 1 → running total 1,937
- I = 1 → running total 1,938
Why MCMXXXVIII has 10 letters
Every year from 1900 to 1999 begins with MCM (1,900); the rest of MCMXXXVIII after MCM — XXXVIII — spells out 38. Of the 201 years from 1900 to 2100, 1 have a longer numeral and 195 a shorter one.
The rules MCMXXXVIII follows
- Largest to smallest. MCMXXXVIII uses the symbols M, C, X, V and I (10 characters in all), and the values never increase from left to right except inside a subtractive pair.
- Subtraction. CM (900) is a subtractive pair: a smaller symbol in front of a larger one is taken away from it. Only six pairs are allowed — IV, IX, XL, XC, CD and CM — and MCMXXXVIII uses one of them.
- Repetition. XXX repeats X three times and III repeats I three times. I, X, C and M may repeat up to three times in a row; V, L and D never repeat.
Common mistakes when writing 1938
- MDCCCCXXXVIII — wrong because standard numerals never repeat a symbol four times; 900 is written CM. The correct form is MCMXXXVIII.
The year 1938 in Roman numerals: where it appears
- Cornerstones and public buildings. Buildings, bridges and monuments from the early 20th century often have their completion year carved as a numeral, so MCMXXXVIII may be cut into a date stone or lintel from 1938.
- On a calendar. 1938 was not a leap year (365 days), and January 1 fell on a Saturday. A full date such as July 4, 1938 is often written VII · IV · MCMXXXVIII.
To turn a complete birth date or wedding date into numerals — with dots, dashes or spaces in US or day-first order — use the Roman numeral date converter.
Years around 1938 in Roman numerals
| Year | Roman numeral | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| 1933 | MCMXXXIII | 9 |
| 1934 | MCMXXXIV | 8 |
| 1935 | MCMXXXV | 7 |
| 1936 | MCMXXXVI | 8 |
| 1937 | MCMXXXVII | 9 |
| 1938 | MCMXXXVIII | 10 |
| 1939 | MCMXXXIX | 8 |
| 1940 | MCMXL | 5 |
| 1941 | MCMXLI | 6 |
| 1942 | MCMXLII | 7 |
| 1943 | MCMXLIII | 8 |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write 1938 in Roman numerals?
1938 is written MCMXXXVIII. Break it into M (1000), CM (900), X (10), X (10), X (10), V (5), I (1), I (1), I (1) and add the parts: 1000 + 900 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 1938.
Is MDCCCCXXXVIII a correct way to write 1938?
No. MDCCCCXXXVIII is wrong because standard numerals never repeat a symbol four times; 900 is written CM. The standard numeral for 1938 is MCMXXXVIII.
How do you say MCMXXXVIII?
Read the value, not the letters: MCMXXXVIII is the year 1938, said “nineteen thirty-eight.” Spelling out the letters one by one is only useful when checking a carving or engraving.
What year comes after MCMXXXVIII?
1939, written MCMXXXIX. The year before, 1937, is MCMXXXVII.