Numbers in German (1, 10, 100, 1000, …)

The numbers that we use for counting are called cardinal numbers. In this lesson, you will be learning the cardinal numbers in German.

Learn the Numbers 1-10 in German

The German cardinal numbers from 1 to 10 are shown in Table 1.1. You will have to learn them by heart.

No	Zahlen	Numbers
0	🔊 null	zero
1	🔊 eins	one
2	🔊 zwei	two
3	🔊 drei	three
4	🔊 vier	four
5	🔊 fünf	five
6	🔊 sechs	six
7	🔊 sieben	seven
8	🔊 acht	eight
9	🔊 neun	nine
10	🔊 zehn	ten

❗ Note: Don’t confuse the German numeral “eins” (one = 1) with the indefinite article “ein” (a/an).

Numbers 11-20 in German

The German cardinal numbers from 11 to 20 are shown in Table 1.2.

No	Zahlen	Numbers
11	🔊 elf	eleven
12	🔊 zwölf	twelve
13	🔊 dreizehn	thirteen
14	🔊 vierzehn	fourteen
15	🔊 fünfzehn	fiveteen
16	🔊 sechzehn	sixteen
17	🔊 siebzehn	seventeen
18	🔊 achtzehn	eightteen
19	🔊 neunzehn	nineteen
20	🔊 zwanzig	twenty

❗ You will also have to learn 11 and 12 by heart.

Did You Notice? Numbers between 13 and 19 follow a particular pattern: unit number + “zehn”. However, remember that numbers 16 (sechzehn) and 17 (siebzehn) have shortened versions of 6 (sechs) and 7 (sieben).

3 (drei)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 13 (dreizehn)
4 (vier)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 14 (vierzehn)
5 (fünf)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 15 (fünfzehn)
6 (sechs)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 16 (sechzehn sechszehn)
7 (sieben)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 17 (siebzehn siebenzehn)
8 (acht)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 18 (achtzehn)
9 (neun)	➕ 10 (zehn)	➡️ 19 (neunzehn)

Numbers 21-30 in German

Numbers in German, particularly between 21 and 99, are formed differently than in English. They follow a pattern where the smaller number precedes the larger one.

German numbers 21-29 follow the pattern: base number + “und” + “zwanzig”. For example; einundzwanzig (twenty-one), zweiundzwanzig (twenty-two), and so on. The German cardinal numbers from 21 to 30 are shown in Table 1.4.

No	Zahlen	Numbers
21	🔊 einundzwanzig	twenty-one
22	🔊 zweiundzwanzig	twenty-two
23	🔊 dreiundzwanzig	twenty-three
24	🔊 vierundzwanzig	twenty-four
25	🔊 fünfundzwanzig	twenty-five
26	🔊 sechsundzwanzig	twenty-six
27	🔊 siebenundzwanzig	twenty-seven
28	🔊 achtundzwanzig	twenty-eight
29	🔊 neunundzwanzig	twenty-nine
30	🔊 dreißig	thirty

❗ It’s important to note that it’s “dreißig” and not “dreizig”.

Numbers 31-40 in German

The German cardinal numbers from 31 to 40 are shown in Table 1.5.

No	Zahlen	Numbers
31	🔊 einunddreißig	thirty-one
32	🔊 zweiunddreißig	thirty-two
33	🔊 dreiunddreißig	thirty-three
34	🔊 vierunddreißig	thirty-four
35	🔊 fünfunddreißig	thirty-five
36	🔊 sechsunddreißig	thirty-six
37	🔊 siebenunddreißig	thirty-seven
38	🔊 achtunddreißig	thirty-eight
39	🔊 neununddreißig	thirty-nine
40	🔊 vierzig	forty

❗ Numbers between 31 and 40 follow the pattern “number + und + dreißig“: einunddreißig (thirty-one), zweiunddreißig (thirty-two), and so on.

Numbers 40-100 in German (Multiples of 10)

The German cardinal numbers from 40 to 100 are shown in Table 1.6.

No	Zahlen	Numbers
40	🔊 vierzig	forty
50	🔊 fünfzig	fifty
60	🔊 sechzig	sixty
70	🔊 siebzig	seventy
80	🔊 achtzig	eighty
90	🔊 neunzig	ninety

❗ Between 40 and 90, all of these numbers are regular and follow the pattern “number + zig“: vierzig (forty), fünfzig (fifty), and so on. However, 60 and 70 contain a shortened version of the words for 6 (sechs) and 7 (sieben).

❗ 2	zwei	+ zig	= 20 (zwanzig)
❗ 3	drei	+ ßig	= 30 (dreißig)
4	vier	+ zig	= 40 (vierzig)
5	fünf	+ zig	= 50 (fünfzig)
❗ 6	sechs	+ zig	= 60 (sechzig)
❗ 7	sieben	+ zig	= 70 (siebzig)
8	acht	+ zig	= 80 (achtzig)
9	neun	+ zig	= 90 (neunzig)

How To Count From 100 to 1,000 In German

Three-digit numbers in German are made with the same logic as in English. They follow the pattern “number + hundert“: zweihundert (two hundred), dreihundert (three hundred), and so on.

no	Zahlen	Numbers
100	🔊 (ein)hundert	one hundred
200	🔊 zweihundert	two hundred
300	🔊 dreihundert	three hundred
400	🔊 vierhundert	four hundred
500	🔊 fünfhundert	five hundred
600	🔊 sechshundert	six hundred
700	🔊 siebenhundert	seven hundred
800	🔊 achthundert	eight hundred
900	🔊 neunhundert	nine hundred
1000	🔊 eintausend	one thousand