When learning a new language, mastering Zahlen numbers, is a crucial step that can make everyday interactions much smoother. Whether you’re shopping, making a hotel reservation, or simply trying to understand prices, knowing how to count and write numbers in German is essential.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of counting from 11 to 1000 in German, providing you with the tools you need to use numbers confidently in any situation. Don’t forget to press play and listen to the podcast to help your pronunciation of the bigger numbers.
The basics of counting in German
Before moving on to the bigger numbers, let’s quickly review the foundations. In German, numbers from 1 to 10 are pretty straightforward, with each number having its own distinct word. Going beyond ten is still similar to English, however once you make it past 20, you need to be ready to count differently.
But let’s take things slow and only count to 20 for now.
- elf eleven
- zwölf twelve
- dreizehn thirteen
- vierzehn fourteen
- fünfzehn fifteen
- sechzehn sixteen (note the difference here to sechs)
- siebzehn seventeen (note the difference here to sieben)
- achtzehn eighteen
- neunzehn nineteen
- zwanzig twenty
Counting in German past 20 and all the way to 100
Now that you can order up to zwanzig Brezen at a time, you are well prepared for all food or drink situations. Unfortunately, prices don’t stop here, so let’s have a look at numbers beyond twenty.
To say 21 in German you have to go back to front – einundzwanzig (literally one and twenty). Once you get to grips with this way of counting all that’s left to learn is how to say 30, 40… And you can count in German all the way to neunundneunzig ninety-nine.
- vierundzwanzig twenty-four
- neunundzwanzig twenty-nine
- dreißig thirty
- zweiunddreißig thirty-two
- vierzig forty
- fünfzig fifty
- sechzig sixty (note the difference again)
- siebzig seventy (note the difference again)
- achtzig eighty
- neunzig ninety
- einhundert one hundred
Writing numbers in German higher than 100
When dealing with numbers larger than 100, the pattern remains consistent. You simply combine the numbers you’ve learned so far. Let’s break down a few examples to understand the pattern once more.
- einhundertdreiundvierzig – 143 (literally one hundred three and forty)
- dreihundertzwölf – 312
- sechshundertfünfundsiebzig – 675
As you can see, mastering this pattern is key to accurately forming larger numbers in German. With a bit of practice, this will become second nature.
Practice makes perfect
The best way to consolidate your understanding of numbers in German is through practice. Try writing out different numbers and saying them aloud. Start with smaller numbers and gradually work your way up to larger ones. Understanding numbers is equally important to saying and writing numbers in German, so have a look at these example sentences to test your comprehension skills.
- Das Doppelzimmer für 4 Nächte kostet dreihundertachtundsiebzig Euro.
- Drei Kaffee, zwei Apfelkuchen und ein Stück Käsekuchen kosten zusammen vierzehn Euro.
Counting in German might seem tricky at first, but with practice, it becomes much easier. The key is to remember the pattern of reversing the units and tens and to practise as much as possible. Whether you’re preparing for a trip to a German-speaking country or simply expanding your language skills, mastering numbers is a fundamental part of your journey.
For more practice, be sure to listen to the podcast episode, where you can perfect your pronunciation and hear these numbers in action. Also why don’t you continue and learn some German shopping vocabulary and phrases now that you mastered the numbers.
