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Roman Numeral Converter

Roman numerals still show up on clocks, in film credits and for numbering chapters. Enter a number between 1 and 3999 to see its Roman form.

Result

MCMXCIV

Roman numeral

Formula

Subtract the largest symbols first, smallest last

Roman numerals use seven base symbols: I=1, V=5, X=10, L=50, C=100, D=500, M=1000. The number is built by repeatedly subtracting the largest possible symbol, where combinations like IV (4) and IX (9) place a smaller symbol before a larger one to indicate subtraction.

Worked examples

The year 1994

โ†’ MCMXCIV (1000 + 900 + 90 + 4).

Common mistakes

  • Assuming any symbol can repeat indefinitely; IIII for 4 is wrong, IV is correct.

When to use it

  • Looking up a year or chapter number in Roman numerals.

Frequently asked questions

Why does this stop at 3999?

With the standard symbols you cannot write higher than 3999 without extra notation (such as a bar over a letter).

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