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!
For counting and spelling German numbers from 20 to 200, refer to the article How to Spell German Numbers. Then move on to German numbers from 100 to 1000. And as a seasonal activity, learn German Halloween Vocabulary!
Simone Preuss - Simone is a freelance writer, editor and translator who decided to go solo after a successful career in publishing. That was more than ...
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