Understanding and Forming Numbers in German
This section explains Understanding and Forming Numbers in German. Numbers are essential in everyday German, from telling the time to shopping and giving dates. Here’s a guide to understanding and forming numbers in German, including both foundation and higher-tier examples.
Basic Numbers (Foundation Tier)
Numbers 0–20
| German | English |
|---|---|
| null | zero |
| eins | one |
| zwei | two |
| drei | three |
| vier | four |
| fünf | five |
| sechs | six |
| sieben | seven |
| acht | eight |
| neun | nine |
| zehn | ten |
| elf | eleven |
| zwölf | twelve |
| dreizehn | thirteen |
| vierzehn | fourteen |
| fünfzehn | fifteen |
| sechzehn | sixteen |
| siebzehn | seventeen |
| achtzehn | eighteen |
| neunzehn | nineteen |
| zwanzig | twenty |
Key Points:
- "eins" becomes "ein" when used before a noun (e.g., ein Hund – one dog).
- Note the slight spelling changes in sechzehn (16) and siebzehn (17).
Counting in Tens (Foundation Tier)
| German | English |
|---|---|
| dreißig | thirty |
| vierzig | forty |
| fünfzig | fifty |
| sechzig | sixty |
| siebzig | seventy |
| achtzig | eighty |
| neunzig | ninety |
| hundert | one hundred |
Key Points:
- "dreißig" (30) uses ß instead of "ss".
- "siebzig" drops the -en from "sieben".
Forming Numbers Beyond 20 (Foundation Tier)
In German, numbers 21–99 follow a "backwards" structure:
➡ [Units] + und + [Tens]
🔹 Examples:
- 21 = einundzwanzig (twenty-one)
- 35 = fünfunddreißig (thirty-five)
- 47 = siebenundvierzig (forty-seven)
- 89 = neunundachtzig (eighty-nine)
🚨 Common Mistake:
❌zwanzigeins → ✅ einundzwanzig
Higher Tier: Numbers Beyond 100
| German | English |
|---|---|
| hundert | one hundred |
| zweihundert | two hundred |
| dreihundert | three hundred |
| tausend | one thousand |
| zweitausend | two thousand |
| zehntausend | ten thousand |
| eine Million | one million |
🔹 Examples:
- 123 = hundertdreiundzwanzig (one hundred twenty-three)
- 567 = fünfhundertsiebenundsechzig (five hundred sixty-seven)
- 1,234 = eintausendzweihundertvierunddreißig (one thousand two hundred thirty-four)
Key Points:
- "Hundert" and "Tausend" do not need "eins" before them:
✅ hundert Euro (one hundred euros) (NOT ein hundert Euro)
✅ tausend Menschen (one thousand people) (NOT ein tausend Menschen)
Ordinal Numbers (Higher Tier)
Ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) are used for dates and ranking.
| English | German |
|---|---|
| first | erste |
| second | zweite |
| third | dritte |
| fourth | vierte |
| fifth | fünfte |
| tenth | zehnte |
| twentieth | zwanzigste |
| twenty-first | einundzwanzigste |
🔹 Examples:
- Der zweite Mai (The second of May)
- Am dritten Juli (On the third of July)
- Das ist mein fünfzehnter Geburtstag! (That is my fifteenth birthday!)
🚨 Rules to Remember:
- Ordinal numbers add "-te" for numbers up to 19.
- From 20 onwards, add "-ste" (e.g., zwanzigste for 20th).
Useful Phrases with Numbers
- Ich bin sechzehn Jahre alt. (I am sixteen years old.)
- Mein Geburtstag ist am elften April. (My birthday is on the 11th of April.)
- Es kostet neunundneunzig Euro. (It costs ninety-nine euros.)
- Wir haben dreihundert Schüler in unserer Schule. (We have three hundred students in our school.)
Practice Questions
- Translate into German:
- I am 17 years old.
Answer: Ich bin siebzehn Jahre alt.
- I am 17 years old.
- Write these numbers in German:
- 42 → zweiundvierzig
- 75 → fünfundsiebzig
- 308 → dreihundertacht
- Translate into English:
- Mein Geburtstag ist am zwölften März.
Answer: My birthday is on the 12th of March.
- Mein Geburtstag ist am zwölften März.
Summary
✅ Numbers follow a "backwards" pattern from 21 onwards.
✅Hundred and thousand don’t need "eins" before them.
✅Ordinal numbers take "-te" (1st–19th) and "-ste" (20th+).
✅Be careful with spelling changes (e.g., sechzehn, siebzig, dreißig).
By practising these rules, you'll master German numbers in no time! 🚀
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