zwanzig
/ˈtsvantsɪç/feminine
The German word for twenty is zwanzig.
The word is a cardinal number.
Meaning: cardinal number (num)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtsvantsɪç/
Did you know?
- When counting from twenty-one to twenty-nine, German speakers say the 'one' before the 'twenty', resulting in einundzwanzig. This literally means 'one and twenty'.
- Until around 1700, you might have heard people use zwenzig or zweinzig instead of zwanzig. The modern version originally came from Bavarian dialects.
- The original Proto-Germanic construction for zwanzig was twai tigiwiz. This was essentially a phrase meaning 'two tens'.
Examples in context
- Sie ist über zwanzig.She is over twenty.This sentence shows how to use zwanzig to indicate an age over twenty.Tatoeba #1709886 by Zaghawa, translation #1173749 by CK
- Er hat zwanzig Kinder.He has twenty children.This sentence uses zwanzig to count children.Tatoeba #4706678 by bonny37, translation #4706631 by shekitten
- Die Katze ist zwanzig.The cat is twenty years old.This sentence uses zwanzig to state the age of a cat.Tatoeba #8224489 by Luiaard, translation #2168543 by shekitten
- 240 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are at a cafe discussing the bill.
- FelixWie viel macht das zusammen?How much does that make altogether?
- JuliaDas macht insgesamt zwanzig Euro.That makes twenty Euro in total.
- FelixDas ist ein fairer Preis.That is a fair price.
- JuliaStimmt, bezahlst du für uns?True, are you paying for us?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twenty” translations and entries zwanzig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zwanzig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
