German Numbers: Master Counting from 1 to 1000 and More
German numbers from 1 to 100 follow predictable patterns that make counting surprisingly straightforward. Unlike the complexity of German grammar, the number system uses consistent rules: basic numbers 1-10 form the foundation, numbers 11-20 have unique forms similar to English "eleven" and "twelve," and numbers 21-99 follow a simple "ones + und + tens" formula (like saying "five-and-twenty" instead of "twenty-five"). German numbers pronunciation emphasizes the "ts" sound for "z," guttural "ch" sounds, and the distinctive "ei" vowel combination. These numbers appear constantly in everyday German life for telling time, giving phone numbers, shopping, and expressing quantities, making them essential vocabulary for any German learner.
1-10
Foundation Numbers
11-20
Pattern Breakers
21-100
Formula System
German Numbers 1-10: Your Foundation
These basic German numbers form the building blocks for all larger numbers. Master these pronunciations and patterns first.
0
null
[nool]
Like English "null"
1
eins
[ainzh]
Rhymes with "eye"
2
zwei
[tsvai]
"Z" sounds like "ts"
3
drei
[drai]
Like English "dry"
4
vier
[feer]
Like English "fear"
5
fünf
[foonf]
Starts like "five"
6
sechs
[zehks]
Similar sound pattern
7
sieben
[ZEE-ben]
Close to "seven"
8
acht
[ahkt]
Like "octopus"
9
neun
[noin]
Like "annoy" ending
10
zehn
[tsehn]
Starts like "ten"
Quick Pattern: Notice how eins, zwei, drei create a natural rhyme. This makes memorization easier and helps with pronunciation flow.
German Numbers 11-20: Pattern Breakers
Like English "eleven" and "twelve," these numbers break the standard pattern. From 13-19, you'll see the first glimpse of German number logic.
| Number | German | Pronunciation | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | elf | [ehlf] | Unique form |
| 12 | zwölf | [tsvoolf] | Unique form |
| 13 | dreizehn | [DRAI-tsehn] | drei + zehn |
| 14 | vierzehn | [FEER-tsehn] | vier + zehn |
| 15 | fünfzehn | [FOONF-tsehn] | fünf + zehn |
| 16 | sechzehn | [ZEHK-tsehn] | sechs + zehn |
| 17 | siebzehn | [ZEEB-tsehn] | sieben + zehn |
| 18 | achtzehn | [AHKT-tsehn] | acht + zehn |
| 19 | neunzehn | [NOIN-tsehn] | neun + zehn |
| 20 | zwanzig | [TVAN-tseeg] | Unique form |
The "-zehn" Pattern
From 13-19, German combines the base number with "zehn" (ten). This pattern becomes crucial for understanding larger numbers.
Memory Trick
"Elf" sounds like "elf" in fantasy stories, and "zwölf" rhymes with "wolf" - easy to remember!
German Numbers 21-1,000,000: The Complete System
Master the "ones + und + tens" formula and scale up to millions. German numbers follow consistent patterns that make large numbers manageable.
The Magic Formula
ONES
+
UND
+
TENS
Example: 25 = fünfundzwanzig (five-and-twenty)
Multiples of 10 (Tens)
20
zwanzig
Exception
30
dreißig
Exception
40
vierzig
vier + zig
50
fünfzig
fünf + zig
60
sechzig
sechs + zig
70
siebzig
sieben + zig
80
achtzig
acht + zig
90
neunzig
neun + zig
Examples: Numbers 21-99
21
einundzwanzig
ein + und + zwanzig
35
fünfunddreißig
fünf + und + dreißig
42
zweiundvierzig
zwei + und + vierzig
67
siebenundsechzig
sieben + und + sechzig
89
neunundachtzig
neun + und + achtzig
94
vierundneunzig
vier + und + neunzig
Large Numbers: Hundreds to Millions
100
einhundert
[ain-HOON-dehrt]
200
zweihundert
[tsvai-HOON-dehrt]
500
fünfhundert
[foonf-HOON-dehrt]
1,000
eintausend
[ain-TAU-zehnd]
5,000
fünftausend
[foonf-TAU-zehnd]
10,000
zehntausend
[tsehn-TAU-zehnd]
100,000
einhunderttausend
[ain-hoon-dehrt-tau-zehnd]
1,000,000
eine Million
[AIN-eh MEE-lee-OHN]
1,000,000,000
eine Milliarde
[AIN-eh MEE-lee-AR-deh]
Complex Number Examples
1,985
neunzehnhundertfünfundachtzig
For years: nineteen-hundred-five-and-eighty
2,847
zweitausendachthundertsiebenundvierzig
Two-thousand-eight-hundred-seven-and-forty
456,789
vierhundertsechsundfünfzigtausendsiebenhundertneunundachtzig
Very long but follows the same patterns!
Key Rules for Large German Numbers
1
Numbers 100-999,999 are written as one word without spaces
2
Millions and billions are separate words: "eine Million"
3
Years before 2000: split into hundreds (1985 = neunzehnhundert...)
4
Always use "ones + und + tens" for 21-99 within larger numbers
German Ordinal Numbers: First, Second, Third & Beyond
Learn how to express order and position in German with ordinal numbers. From "erste" (first) to complex ordinals like "einundsechzigste" (sixty-first).
Basic Ordinal Numbers (1st-10th)
1st
erste
1.
2nd
zweite
2.
3rd
dritte
3.
4th
vierte
4.
5th
fünfte
5.
6th
sechste
6.
7th
siebte
7.
8th
achte
8.
9th
neunte
9.
10th
zehnte
10.
How to Form German Ordinal Numbers
Numbers 1-19: Add "-te"
sieben
+te →
siebte
(seventh)
elf
+te →
elfte
(eleventh)
Numbers 20+: Add "-ste"
zwanzig
+ste →
zwanzigste
(twentieth)
hundert
+ste →
hundertste
(hundredth)
Complex Ordinal Numbers
21st
einundzwanzigste
einundzwanzig + ste
32nd
zweiunddreißigste
zweiunddreißig + ste
45th
fünfundvierzigste
fünfundvierzig + ste
61st
einundsechzigste
einundsechzig + ste
70th
siebzigste
siebzig + ste
99th
neunundneunzigste
neunundneunzig + ste
101st
einhunderterste
einhundert + erste
1,000th
tausendste
tausend + ste
Practical Usage Examples
Dates
der 1. Mai
May 1st (May Day)
am 23. Dezember
on December 23rd
Floors & Levels
im dritten Stock
on the third floor
die zweite Etage
the second level
Sequences & Order
das erste Mal
the first time
zum zweiten Mal
for the second time
Quick Tip: German ordinals are adjectives and must be declined based on gender, case, and article. "Der erste Tag" (masculine), "die erste Woche" (feminine), "das erste Jahr" (neuter).
German Phone Numbers and Practical Usage
Understanding how to use German numbers in real situations like phone numbers, addresses, prices, and time expressions is crucial for daily life in Germany.
German Phone Numbers
Country Code
+49
plus neunundvierzig
Area Code
030
null drei null
Local Number
12345678
eins-zwei-drei-vier-fünf-sechs-sieben-acht
+49 30 12 34 56 78
plus neunundvierzig, dreißig, zwölf, vierunddreißig, sechsundfünfzig, achtundsiebzig
Tip: Germans often group digits in pairs or say each digit individually for clarity.
Time and Dates
Telling Time
Es ist fünf Uhr
It's 5 o'clock (AM)
24-Hour Format
Es ist siebzehn Uhr
It's 17:00 (5 PM)
Years (before 2000)
neunzehnhundertfünfundachtzig
1985
Years (after 2000)
zweitausendzweiundzwanzig
2022
Money and Prices
German Decimal Format
English
€29.50
→
German
29,50€
Germans use commas for decimal points and place currency symbols after the amount.
15,99€
fünfzehn Euro neunundneunzig
Shopping price
1.250,75€
eintausendzweihundertfünfzig Euro fünfundsiebzig
Large purchase
Addresses and Quantities
Street Address
Musterstraße 42
Musterstraße zweiundvierzig
Apartment Number
Wohnung 15
Wohnung fünfzehn
Quantities
drei Bier, bitte
Three beers, please
German Number Pronunciation Tips
Master German number pronunciation with these essential rules and common mistake fixes. Perfect pronunciation makes communication clearer and more confident.
Essential Sound Rules
Z
Makes "ts" sound
zwei [tsvai], zehn [tsehn], zwanzig [tsvantseeg]
V
Makes "f" sound
vier [feer], vierzig [feertsig], vierzehn [feertshen]
W
Makes "v" sound
zwei [tsvai], zwölf [tsvoolf], zwanzig [tsvantseeg]
CH
Guttural sound
acht [ahkt], sechzehn [zehktsehn], sechzig [zekhtsig]
EI
Makes "ai" sound
eins [ainzh], drei [drai], dreißig [draisig]
Common Pronunciation Mistakes
Word Order Confusion
❌ zwanzig-eins
✅ einundzwanzig
Remember: ones come before tens in German
"Zwei" Pronunciation
❌ [sway]
✅ [tsvai]
Start with sharp "ts" sound, not "sw"
Guttural "CH"
❌ [akt] (hard k sound)
✅ [ahkt] (throat clearing)
Use back-of-throat sound for "ch"
"Sieben" Stress
❌ sie-BEN
✅ ZEE-ben
Emphasize first syllable, not second
Practice Sequences
Basic Count (1-10)
eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn
Multiples of 10
zehn, zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig, fünfzig, sechzig, siebzig, achtzig, neunzig
Teen Numbers
elf, zwölf, dreizehn, vierzehn, fünfzehn, sechzehn, siebzehn, achtzehn, neunzehn
Random Practice
fünfundzwanzig, achtundvierzig, dreiundsiebzig, neunundneunzig
Pro Tip: Practice German numbers daily by counting objects around you or saying phone numbers out loud. The more you use them, the more natural they become.
German Numbers Quick Reference & Cheat Sheet
Bookmark this section for instant access to German numbers patterns, formulas, and essential vocabulary you'll use daily.
Number Patterns
1-10:
Unique forms (memorize these)
11-12:
elf, zwölf (exceptions)
13-19:
number + zehn
21-99:
ones + und + tens
Tens:
number + zig (except 20, 30)
Pronunciation Quick Guide
Z = ts sound
V = f sound
W = v sound
CH = throat clearing
EI = ai sound
Emergency Numbers
110
Police
einhundertzehn
112
Fire/Medical
einhundertzwölf
116 117
Medical Hotline
einhundertsechzehn einhundertsiebzehn
Complete Numbers Chart (1-100)
1-20
1 eins
2 zwei
3 drei
4 vier
5 fünf
6 sechs
7 sieben
8 acht
9 neun
10 zehn
11 elf
12 zwölf
13 dreizehn
14 vierzehn
15 fünfzehn
16 sechzehn
17 siebzehn
18 achtzehn
19 neunzehn
20 zwanzig
Tens & Examples
30 dreißig
40 vierzig
50 fünfzig
60 sechzig
70 siebzig
80 achtzig
90 neunzig
100 einhundert
Examples:
25 fünfundzwanzig
34 vierunddreißig
57 siebenundfünfzig
68 achtundsechzig
79 neunundsiebzig
91 einundneunzig
Large Numbers
1,000 eintausend
10,000 zehntausend
100,000 einhunderttausend
1,000,000 eine Million
1,000,000,000 eine Milliarde
Examples:
2,500 zweitausendfünfhundert
15,750 fünfzehntausendsiebenhundertfünfzig
2.5M zwei Millionen fünfhunderttausend
German Numbers: Master Counting from 1 to 1000 and More
How do you say numbers 1-10 in German?
1 eins [ainzh]
2 zwei [tsvai]
3 drei [drai]
4 vier [feer]
5 fünf [foonf]
6 sechs [zehks]
7 sieben [ZEE-ben]
8 acht [ahkt]
9 neun [noin]
10 zehn [tsehn]
How long are German phone numbers?
German phone numbers are 10-12 digits long (excluding country code +49). Format: Area code (2-5 digits) + Local number (4-8 digits). Example: 030 12345678 = null-drei-null, eins-zwei-drei-vier-fünf-sechs-sieben-acht
What's the pattern for German numbers 21-99?
Formula: ones + und + tens
• 25 = fünfundzwanzig (five-and-twenty)
• 42 = zweiundvierzig (two-and-forty)
• 89 = neunundachtzig (nine-and-eighty)
• 42 = zweiundvierzig (two-and-forty)
• 89 = neunundachtzig (nine-and-eighty)
How do you pronounce German numbers correctly?
Key pronunciation rules:
• Z = “ts” sound (zwei = tsvai)
• V = “f” sound (vier = feer)
• CH = throat clearing (acht = ahkt)
• EI = “ai” sound (eins = ainzh)
• Z = “ts” sound (zwei = tsvai)
• V = “f” sound (vier = feer)
• CH = throat clearing (acht = ahkt)
• EI = “ai” sound (eins = ainzh)
What are German numbers 11-20?
11 elf [ehlf]
16 sechzehn [ZEHK-tsehn]
12 zwölf [tsvoolf]
17 siebzehn [ZEEB-tsehn]
13 dreizehn [DRAI-tsehn]
18 achtzehn [AHKT-tsehn]
14 vierzehn [FEER-tsehn]
19 neunzehn [NOIN-tsehn]
15 fünfzehn [FOONF-tsehn]
20 zwanzig [TVAN-tseeg]
Pattern: 13-19 use base number + zehn
How to write German phone numbers?
German phone number format: +49 (country) + area code + local number
+49 30 12 34 56 78
Written: plus neunundvierzig, dreißig, zwölf, vierunddreißig…
What's the difference between German and English numbers?
Main differences:
• Word order: German says “five-and-twenty” (fünfundzwanzig) vs English “twenty-five”
• Decimals: German uses commas (29,50€) vs English periods (€29.50)
• Large numbers: Written as one word until millions
• Currency: Symbol comes after number (50€ not €50)
• Word order: German says “five-and-twenty” (fünfundzwanzig) vs English “twenty-five”
• Decimals: German uses commas (29,50€) vs English periods (€29.50)
• Large numbers: Written as one word until millions
• Currency: Symbol comes after number (50€ not €50)
How do you count from 1 to 100 in German?
3-step system:
1. Master 1-20 (unique forms + zehn pattern)
2. Learn multiples of 10 (zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig…)
3. Apply formula: ones + und + tens for 21-99
1. Master 1-20 (unique forms + zehn pattern)
2. Learn multiples of 10 (zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig…)
3. Apply formula: ones + und + tens for 21-99
Practice sequence:
eins, zwei, drei… zehn, elf, zwölf… zwanzig, einundzwanzig…
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