38 in Roman numerals is XXXVIII, built from XXX + V + III (XXX = 30, V = 5, III = 3), which add up to 38.
How 38 is written in Roman numerals
The number 38 is written XXXVIII in Roman numerals. Roman numerals use seven letters — I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500) and M (1000) — combined from largest to smallest, with subtractive pairs such as IV (4) and IX (9). Need another number? Use the Roman numeral converter or see the 1–100 chart.
Building XXXVIII step by step — take the largest value that fits, write its symbol, subtract, repeat.
| Write | Value | Remaining before | Remaining after |
|---|
| X | 10 | 38 | 28 |
| X | 10 | 28 | 18 |
| X | 10 | 18 | 8 |
| V | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| I | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| I | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| I | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Where you see XXXVIII
The 38th Super Bowl was Super Bowl XXXVIII; the NFL has used Roman numerals for every edition except Super Bowl 50.
Nearby numbers
Popular numbers in Roman numerals
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 38 in Roman numerals?
38 in Roman numerals is XXXVIII. Reading it left to right gives X (10) + X (10) + X (10) + V (5) + I (1) + I (1) + I (1) = 38. The number below it, 37, is written XXXVII, and the number above it, 39, is written XXXIX.
How do you write 38 in Roman numerals?
Write 38 as XXXVIII, combining X (10) + X (10) + X (10) + V (5) + I (1) + I (1) + I (1). Roman numerals are built by taking the largest value that still fits, writing its symbol and subtracting it, which reduces 38 in 7 steps: X leaves 28, X leaves 18, X leaves 8, V leaves 3, I leaves 2, I leaves 1, I leaves 0. Every symbol keeps the same value wherever it stands, so the order is fixed and XXXVIII is the only standard spelling of 38.
What are the Roman numerals either side of 38?
Either side of 38 the Roman numerals are XXXVII for 37 and XXXIX for 39, with XXXVIII between them. Those three numerals are 6, 7 and 5 letters long, so the length changes as you count. Roman numerals have no digit positions, so each step can rewrite the numeral rather than bumping a single digit.
Will the Roman numeral converter accept XXXVIII?
Yes, type XXXVIII into the Roman numeral converter and it returns 38. The converter takes only the letters I, V, X, L, C, D and M, and it re-encodes whatever you enter and compares it with the standard spelling, so a non-standard form such as IIII is rejected rather than accepted quietly. Its working range runs from 1 to 3999, which covers 38.