German Numbers: Learn Counting in German with Pronunciation & Examples

Getting a handle on German numbers is key for anyone diving into the language. It’s not just about counting; it helps you communicate better and gets you closer to the culture. German numbers have their own pattern. Once you’ve got it down, you can use it everywhere—from buying groceries to discussing math problems.

Learning these patterns makes doing math in your head easier and helps you fit in better in German-speaking places. Knowing your numbers well is crucial when you’re out shopping, making plans, or just dealing with quantities. Focusing on how these numbers work is a big step towards speaking German fluently and handling everyday situations with ease.

Basic German Numbers (1-20)

German Number	English Meaning	Pronunciation
eins	one	[ains]
zwei	two	[tsvai]
drei	three	[dry]
vier	four	[feer]
fünf	five	[fuenf]
sechs	six	[zex]
sieben	seven	[zee-ben]
acht	eight	[aht]
neun	nine	[noyn]
zehn	ten	[tsayn]
elf	eleven	[elf]
zwölf	twelve	[tsvelf]
dreizehn	thirteen	[dry-tsayn]
vierzehn	fourteen	[feer-tsayn]
fünfzehn	fifteen	[fuenf-tsayn]
sechzehn	sixteen	[zex-tsayn]
siebzehn	seventeen	[zee-btsayn]
achtzehn	eighteen	[aht-tsayn]
neunzehn	nineteen	[noyn-tsayn]
zwanzig	twenty	[tsvan-tsig]

Want to start counting in German? It’s good to know the basic numbers from one to twelve. Here they are: eins (1), zwei (2), drei (3), vier (4), fünf (5), sechs (6), sieben (7), acht (8), neun (9), zehn (10), elf (11), and zwölf (12). Learning these simple numbers is key to getting better at German numbers. Each one sounds different from English, so practice helps. Plus, these numbers aren’t just for chatting. They help you make bigger numbers too. Once you know them well, you’re on your way to getting better at German numbers.

Counting from 13 to 19

Starting with the basics of German numbers, we move into the teens beginning at thirteen. In German, “thirteen” is “dreizehn,” then comes “vierzehn” for “fourteen,” “fünfzehn” for “fifteen,” “sechzehn” for “sixteen,” “siebzehn” for “seventeen,” “achtzehn” for “eighteen,” and “neunzehn” for “nineteen.” These numbers are crucial for everyday use and are the stepping stones to understanding more complex numbers in German.

There’s a simple pattern here: each teen number starts with the base of the single-digit number (but watch out, “sixteen” and “seventeen” switch things up a bit—they shorten “sechs” and “sieben” to make them easier to say), and then adds “zehn,” which means “ten.” Getting these down really sets you up to tackle bigger numbers.

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Reaching 100 and Beyond

German Number	English Meaning	Pronunciation
eins	one	[ains]
zwei	two	[tsvigh]
drei	three	[dry]
vier	four	[feer]
fünf	five	[fünf]
sechs	six	[zex]
sieben	seven	[zeeben]
acht	eight	[aht]
neun	nine	[noyn]
zehn	ten	[tsayn]
elf	eleven	[elf]
zwölf	twelve	[tsvelf]
dreizehn	thirteen	[dry-tsayn]
vierzehn	fourteen	[feer-tsayn]
fünfzehn	fifteen	[fünf-tsayn]
sechzehn	sixteen	[zex-tsayn]
siebzehn	seventeen	[zee-b-tsayn]
achtzehn	eighteen	[aht-tsayn]
neunzehn	nineteen	[noyn-tsayn]
zwanzig	twenty	[tsvan-tsihg]
einundzwanzig	twenty-one	[ain-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
zweiundzwanzig	twenty-two	[tsvigh-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
dreiundzwanzig	twenty-three	[dry-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
vierundzwanzig	twenty-four	[feer-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
fünfundzwanzig	twenty-five	[fünf-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
sechsundzwanzig	twenty-six	[zex-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
siebenundzwanzig	twenty-seven	[zee-ben-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
achtundzwanzig	twenty-eight	[aht-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
neunundzwanzig	twenty-nine	[noyn-oont-tsvan-tsihg]
dreißig	thirty	[dry-sihg]
einunddreißig	thirty-one	[ain-oont-dry-sihg]
zweiunddreißig	thirty-two	[tsvigh-oont-dry-sihg]
dreiunddreißig	thirty-three	[dry-oont-dry-sihg]
vierunddreißig	thirty-four	[feer-oont-dry-sihg]
fünfunddreißig	thirty-five	[fünf-oont-dry-sihg]
sechsunddreißig	thirty-six	[zex-oont-dry-sihg]
siebenunddreißig	thirty-seven	[zee-ben-oont-dry-sihg]
achtunddreißig	thirty-eight	[aht-oont-dry-sihg]
neununddreißig	thirty-nine	[noyn-oont-dry-sihg]
vierzig	forty	[feer-tsihg]
einundvierzig	forty-one	[ain-oont-feer-tsihg]
zweiundvierzig	forty-two	[tsvigh-oont-feer-tsihg]
dreiundvierzig	forty-three	[dry-oont-feer-tsihg]
vierundvierzig	forty-four	[feer-oont-feer-tsihg]
fünfundvierzig	forty-five	[fünf-oont-feer-tsihg]
sechsundvierzig	forty-six	[zex-oont-feer-tsihg]
siebenundvierzig	forty-seven	[zee-ben-oont-feer-tsihg]
achtundvierzig	forty-eight	[aht-oont-feer-tsihg]
neunundvierzig	forty-nine	[noyn-oont-feer-tsihg]
fünfzig	fifty	[fünf-tsihg]
einundfünfzig	fifty-one	[ain-oont-fünf-tsihg]
zweiundfünfzig	fifty-two	[tsvigh-oont-fünf-tsihg]
dreiundfünfzig	fifty-three	[dry-oont-fünf-tsihg]
vierundfünfzig	fifty-four	[feer-oont-fünf-tsihg]
fünfundfünfzig	fifty-five	[fünf-oont-fünf-tsihg]
sechsundfünfzig	fifty-six	[zex-oont-fünf-tsihg]
siebenundfünfzig	fifty-seven	[zee-ben-oont-fünf-tsihg]
achtundfünfzig	fifty-eight	[aht-oont-fünf-tsihg]
neunundfünfzig	fifty-nine	[noyn-oont-fünf-tsihg]
sechzig	sixty	[zihg-tsihg]
einundsechzig	sixty-one	[ain-oont-zihg-tsihg]
zweiundsechzig	sixty-two	[tsvigh-oont-zihg-tsihg]
dreiundsechzig	sixty-three	[dry-oont-zihg-tsihg]
vierundsechzig	sixty-four	[feer-oont-zihg-tsihg]
fünfundsechzig	sixty-five	[fünf-oont-zihg-tsihg]
sechsundsechzig	sixty-six	[zex-oont-zihg-tsihg]
siebenundsechzig	sixty-seven	[zee-ben-oont-zihg-tsihg]
achtundsechzig	sixty-eight	[aht-oont-zihg-tsihg]
neunundsechzig	sixty-nine	[noyn-oont-zihg-tsihg]
siebzig	seventy	[zeeb-tsihg]
einundsiebzig	seventy-one	[ain-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
zweiundsiebzig	seventy-two	[tsvigh-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
dreiundsiebzig	seventy-three	[dry-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
vierundsiebzig	seventy-four	[feer-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
fünfundsiebzig	seventy-five	[fünf-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
sechsundsiebzig	seventy-six	[zex-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
siebenundsiebzig	seventy-seven	[zee-ben-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
achtundsiebzig	seventy-eight	[aht-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
neunundsiebzig	seventy-nine	[noyn-oont-zeeb-tsihg]
achtzig	eighty	[aht-tsihg]
einundachtzig	eighty-one	[ain-oont-aht-tsihg]
zweiundachtzig	eighty-two	[tsvigh-oont-aht-tsihg]
dreiundachtzig	eighty-three	[dry-oont-aht-tsihg]
vierundachtzig	eighty-four	[feer-oont-aht-tsihg]
fünfundachtzig	eighty-five	[fünf-oont-aht-tsihg]
sechsundachtzig	eighty-six	[zex-oont-aht-tsihg]
siebenundachtzig	eighty-seven	[zee-ben-oont-aht-tsihg]
achtundachtzig	eighty-eight	[aht-oont-aht-tsihg]
neunundachtzig	eighty-nine	[noyn-oont-aht-tsihg]
neunzig	ninety	[noyn-tsihg]
einundneunzig	ninety-one	[ain-oont-noyn-tsihg]
zweiundneunzig	ninety-two	[tsvigh-oont-noyn-tsihg]
dreiundneunzig	ninety-three	[dry-oont-noyn-tsihg]
vierundneunzig	ninety-four	[feer-oont-noyn-tsihg]
fünfundneunzig	ninety-five	[fünf-oont-noyn-tsihg]
sechsundneunzig	ninety-six	[zex-oont-noyn-tsihg]
siebenundneunzig	ninety-seven	[zee-ben-oont-noyn-tsihg]
achtundneunzig	ninety-eight	[aht-oont-noyn-tsihg]
neunundneunzig	ninety-nine	[noyn-oont-noyn-tsihg]
einhundert	one hundred	[ain-hoond-ert]

As we move past counting to 100 in German, we need to get how to handle bigger numbers. German numbers over 100 mix the word ‘hundert’ (which means hundred) with smaller numbers. This forms a new way to say numbers, and we’ll look into how that’s done.

So, let’s break it down simply. When you go beyond 100, just remember to start with ‘hundert’ and then add the smaller numbers right after. This section will help make sure you get it right, both in writing and speaking, once you’re past the basic hundred.

The Structure of Numbers from 100 Onwards

German Number	English Meaning	Pronunciation
101 – einhunderteins	one hundred one	ine-HUN-der-tayns
110 – einhundertzehn	one hundred ten	ine-HUN-der-tayn
120 – einhundertzwanzig	one hundred twenty	ine-HUN-der-TSVAN-tseeg
150 – einhundertfünfzig	one hundred fifty	ine-HUN-der-FUENF-tsihg
200 – zweihundert	two hundred	TSVY-hun-dert
250 – zweihundertfünfzig	two hundred fifty	TSVY-hun-dert-FUENF-tsihg
300 – dreihundert	three hundred	DRY-hun-dert
500 – fünfhundert	five hundred	FUENF-hun-dert
1000 – eintausend	one thousand	ine-TAU-sent
2000 – zweitausend	two thousand	TSVY-TAU-sent

As we move beyond basic numbers, German numerical terms get more complex once we hit a hundred or more. The German word for “hundred” is “hundert.” When making numbers beyond a hundred, you start with the hundreds place, then add the tens and finally the units. It’s quite similar to how we do it in English. For instance, 123 in German is “einhundertdreiundzwanzig,” which directly translates to “one hundred twenty-three.”

For clean hundreds like 200 or 300, you simply say the number before “hundert.” So, 200 is “zweihundert” and 300 is “dreihundert.” If you’re dealing with a number like 250, in German it’s “zweihundertfünfzig.” Moving up to thousands, “tausend” means a thousand. For numbers like 2000, you’d say “zweitausend,” and so on. This straightforward approach helps with putting together even bigger numbers.

Conclusion

Learning to count from one to a hundred in German is essential if you’re picking up the language. It helps not just with everyday chatting but also lays the groundwork for deeper language skills and math in German. Remember, sticking to your practice and repeating often is the way to really remember it. Use simple tools like flashcards, apps, or just chat in German to keep it all going. Learning a new language takes time, patience, and a lot of practice. Keep pushing yourself to learn more, and before you know it, you’ll count in German without even thinking about it.