Guide: How to Say the German Numbers

Guten Tag! If you’re looking to learn how to say the German numbers, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you want to count flowers in a German garden, order a cup of coffee, or simply impress your German friends with your language skills, this guide will help you master numbers in German.

Formal and Informal Ways of Saying Numbers

Just like in English, German numbers can be said in both formal and informal ways. Let’s start with the formal way of saying numbers up to ten:

Eins – One
Zwei – Two
Drei – Three
Vier – Four
Fünf – Five
Sechs – Six
Sieben – Seven
Acht – Eight
Neun – Nine
Zehn – Ten

Now, let’s move on to the informal way of saying numbers from eleven to nineteen:

Elf – Eleven
Zwölf – Twelve
Dreizehn – Thirteen
Vierzehn – Fourteen
Fünfzehn – Fifteen
Sechzehn – Sixteen
Siebzehn – Seventeen
Achtzehn – Eighteen
Neunzehn – Nineteen

After nineteen, the German numbers follow a regular pattern. Here are the informal ones from twenty up to ninety-nine:

Zwanzig – Twenty
Dreißig – Thirty
Vierzig – Forty
Fünfzig – Fifty
Sechzig – Sixty
Siebzig – Seventy
Achtzig – Eighty
Neunzig – Ninety

To say numbers such as twenty-one, thirty-seven, or ninety-nine, simply combine the respective tens with the corresponding unit:

Einundzwanzig – Twenty-one (One and twenty)
Siebenunddreißig – Thirty-seven (Seven and thirty)
Neunundneunzig – Ninety-nine (Nine and ninety)

Tips for Pronouncing German Numbers

Pronouncing German numbers accurately requires practice. Here are some tips to help you:

1. Pay attention to the vowels: German vowels can have different sounds compared to English. For example, “ei” is pronounced as “eye” and “au” sounds like “ow.”
2. Practice the “ch” sound: The German “ch” is a unique sound that can be challenging for non-native speakers. It is pronounced like the “ch” in “loch” or “Bach.”
3. Emphasize the first syllable: In German, the stress usually falls on the first syllable of a word. So, when saying numbers like “einundzwanzig,” emphasize the “ein” part.
4. Listen to native speakers: Listening to native German speakers and repeating after them can help you familiarize yourself with the correct pronunciation and intonation of numbers.

Examples of German Numbers in Context

Let’s see some real-life examples of German numbers in context:

• If you want to ask someone their age, you can say: Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)
• When ordering two beers, you can say: Ich hätte gerne zwei Bier, bitte (I would like two beers, please).
• When referring to the number of siblings you have, you can say: Ich habe drei Geschwister (I have three siblings).

Remember, practice makes perfect! The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become with saying numbers in German. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and keep immersing yourself in the language as much as possible.

That’s it for our guide on how to say the German numbers. Viel Glück (Good luck) with your German language journey! Bis bald!