Learn how to spell the number 40 correctly in English and avoid the common mistake of adding an extra 'u'. See definitions, tips, and examples of forty and related words. The difference between forty and fourty is simple: forty is correct, and fourty is a common misspelling. In English, the correct way to spell the number 40 is with the letters “forty.” Despite how it sounds or what logic might suggest (since “four” is part of “forty”), adding a “u” as in “fourty” is incorrect. Is it 'fourty' acres and a mule or 'forty' acres and a mule? We'll help clear that up, plus teach you how to write out numbers up to 100. Forty is always the correct spelling. Forty is used in a variety of ways to indicate the number 40 or forty-something. It can be expressed in written or numerical form. The restaurant could fit about forty people. The speed limit was forty miles per hour. I am forty -one years old.