Counting in German and counting in English are quite similar. Double-digit numbers follow a comparable structure and many numbers even sound similar in English and German. So let’s get started, let’s count – lasst uns zählen!
Die Zahlen - Numbers from 1 to 10 in German
The numbers from one to ten are especially important because they are used to form higher numbers. For a better understanding of how to pronounce German numbers, check standard consonant and vowel pronunciation in German.
eins – one [eyns]
zwei – two [tsvy]
drei – three [dryh]
vier – four [fear]
fünf – five [fuihmf]
sechs – six [zax]
sieben – seven [zeebn]
acht – eight [ahkht]
neun – nine [noin]
zehn – ten [tsahn]
German Numbers from 11 to 20
The numbers from 11 to 20 follow the pattern cardinal number + suffix -zehn, e.g. vier + zehn = vierzehn. Notice that just like in English, the numbers 11, 12 and 20 are irregular: elf, zwölf and zwanzig.
elf – eleven (think of elf elves)
zwölf – twelve [tsvehlf]
dreizehn – thirteen [drytsahn]
vierzehn – fourteen [feartsahn]
fünfzehn – fifteen [fuihmftsahn]
sechzehn – sixteen [zahtsahn]
siebzehn – seventeen [zeeptsahn]
achtzehn – eighteen [ahkhtsahn]
neunzehn – nineteen [nointsahn]
zwanzig – twenty [tsvantsik]
Multiples of Ten in German from 10 to 100
The multiples of ten follow the pattern cardinal number + suffix -zig, e.g. vier + -zig = vierzig. Notice that 10, 20 and 100 are irregular: zehn, zwanzig, einhundert. The numbers 30, 60 and 70 deviate a bit in spelling; instead of dreizig, it is dreißig(ß, not z); instead of sechszehn sechzehn (without s) and siebenzehn has been shortened to siebzehn.
zehn – ten
zwanzig – twenty
dreißig – thirty
vierzig – forty
fünfzig – fifty
sechzig – sixty
siebzig – seventy
achtzig – eighty
neunzig – ninety
einhundert – one hundred
The rule of thumb for einhundert versus hundert:
- hundert is more casual and shorter, therefore often used in spoken German;
- einhundert is used when precision is required, e.g. in mathematics;
- -hundert is the suffix for multiples of hundred: zweihundert, dreihundert, etc. not zweieinhundert
Multiples of Eleven from 11 to 99
Counting ahead from 20 follows the pattern cardinal number + and + multiple of ten, e.g., vier + und + vierzig = vierundvierzig. For numbers ending in -1, note that eins loses the s! So it's einundzwanzig, not einsundzwanzig; einundvierzig, einundsechzig, etc. Spelled out, German numbers are one long word without spaces or dashes. Notice that, except for numbers below 20, forming numbers follows this regular pattern without exceptions.
elf – eleven
zweiundzwanzig – twenty-two
dreiunddreißig – thirty-three
vierundvierzig – forty-four
fünfundfünfzig – fifty-five
sechsundsechzig – sixty-six
siebenundsiebzig – seventy-six
achtundachtzig – eighty-eight
neunundneunzig – ninety-nine
Know the numbers from 1 to 10 in German? Then say them backwards to really master them!
Or how about learning German Easter vocabulary or German fruits and combining them with numbers?
