title: Converting Numbers to Words with Inflect
tags: python

* [pypi page](https://pypi.org/project/inflect/)

```
import inflect
p = inflect.engine()
p.number_to_words(38)
# 'thirty-eight'
```

## Example
Convert numerical Bible references to words:
```py
#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys
import inflect
import re
e = inflect.engine()
args = sys.argv[1:]
def n(x):
  return e.number_to_words(x)
for arg in args:
  if m := re.match(r"(\d+):(\d+)-(\d+):(\d+)$",arg):
    # cross chapter
    c1,v1,c2,v2 = map(n,m.groups())
    t = f"chapter {c1}, verse {v1} to chapter {c2}, verse {v2}"
  elif m := re.match(r"(\d+):(\d+)-(\d+)$",arg):
    # verses in chapter
    c,v1,v2 = map(n,m.groups())
    t = f"chapter {c}, verses {v1} to {v2}"
  elif m := re.match(r"(\d+):(\d+)$",arg):
    # one verse
    c,v = map(n,m.groups())
    t = f"chapter {c}, verse {v}"
  elif m := re.match(r"(\d+)$",arg):
    # one verse, don't mention chapter
    c = n,m.group(1)
    t = f"verse {v}"
  else:
    t = f"wtf? {arg}"
  print(f"{arg}={t}")
```
Example
```plaintext
$ ./ref_to_words 3:4-5 3:16 16 3:45-4:9
3:4-5=chapter three, verses four to five
3:16=chapter three, verse sixteen
16=verse sixteen
3:45-4:9=chapter three, verse forty-five to chapter four, verse nine
```