German Numbers: Complete Counting Guide from 1 to 100

Q: How does German time telling work?

Halb drei means half past two, not half past three. The German system refers to the upcoming hour. "Halb" literally means "half (of the way to) three." This is opposite to English, where "half past three" refers to the hour already passed. Quarter Hours and 24-Hour Clock For quarter hours, German uses Viertel nach (quarter past) and Viertel vor (quarter to), which work the same as English. "Es ist Viertel nach zehn" means "It is quarter past ten." Germany uses the 24-hour clock extensively in schedules, timetables, and formal contexts. "Der Zug fährt um fünfzehn Uhr dreißig" means "The train departs at 15:30." In casual speech, the 12-hour clock is common, but understanding both systems is essential.

Q: What is special about dreißig (30) in German?

Dreißig is the only tens number that does not end in -zig. While zwanzig (20), vierzig (40), fünfzig (50), sechzig (60), siebzig (70), achtzig (80), and neunzig (90) all use the -zig suffix, thirty uses -ßig instead. Historical Remnant This irregularity is a historical remnant from how the number evolved in German. The ß (Eszett or sharp S) in dreißig represents an "ss" sound, so it is pronounced "DREY-sikh." In Swiss German, which does not use the ß character, it is written as "dreissig." Compound Numbers Aside from this spelling quirk, dreißig behaves exactly like all other tens numbers when forming compounds. Einunddreißig (31), zweiunddreißig (32), and all others follow the standard ones-und-tens pattern.

Q: How do German ordinal numbers work?

German ordinals are formed by adding -te to cardinal numbers 1-19, and -ste for 20 and above. For example, vier (4) becomes vierte (4th), and zwanzig (20) becomes zwanzigste (20th). Three Irregular Ordinals You must memorize three irregulars: erste (1st), dritte (3rd), and siebte (7th, not siebente). These are the only exceptions in the entire system. Gender and Number Agreement Ordinal numbers are adjectives and must agree in gender, case, and number with the noun they modify. When written as a numeral, German marks ordinals with a period after the number. So 1. means "first" and 15. means "fifteenth." This is important for dates: "der 15. April" is read as "der fünfzehnte April" (April 15th). Understanding ordinals is essential for dates, floor numbers, and sequencing in everyday German.

Q: How do you say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 in German?

The numbers 1-8 in German are eins (1), zwei (2), drei (3), vier (4), fünf (5), sechs (6), sieben (7), and acht (8). Memorize These First These form the foundation for all higher numbers. Once you know 1-8, you can build numbers like 18, 28, 38, and all the way to 98 by adding -zehn or the appropriate tens word. Practice Pronunciation German pronunciation is consistent once you learn the sound rules. Eins (EYNS), zwei (TSVEY), drei (DREY), vier (FEER), fünf (FUENF), sechs (ZEKS), sieben (ZEE-ben), and acht (AHKHT) are worth drilling with flashcards until they become automatic.

Q: What is 777777 in German?

The number 777777 in German is siebenhundertsiebenundsiebzigtausendsiebenundsiebzighundertsiebenundsiebzig. This breaks down as follows: siebenhundertsiebenundsiebzig (777) + tausend (thousand) + siebenhundertsiebenundsiebzig (777). Understanding Large Numbers German writes large numbers as single compounds with no spaces or hyphens. You need to know how to build the smaller components first (1-999), then combine them with tausend (thousand), Million (million), and Milliarde (billion). Build Progressively Master 1-100 first, then expand to 1-1000. Once you understand the pattern for building compounds, numbers of any size follow the same rules. The key is practicing the ones-und-tens reversal until it becomes automatic.

GermanBy FluentFlash Research Team·Updated 2026-04-30

German numbers are essential from day one. You need them for telling time, shopping, giving addresses, reading train schedules, and ordering at restaurants.

German has one major quirk that surprises every English speaker. Numbers from 21 to 99 reverse the ones and tens digits. In English, you say twenty-one (tens first). In German, you say einundzwanzig, which means "one-and-twenty" (ones first). This reversal applies to every two-digit number from 21 to 99.

Why the Reversal Matters

This pattern takes conscious practice, especially at normal speaking speed. However, German numbers are completely regular and predictable once you understand the system. Numbers 1-12 are unique and must be memorized. Numbers 13-19 follow a simple pattern: ones digit plus zehn (ten). Each tens number (20, 30, 40) has its own word, and all compound numbers from 21-99 follow the same ones-und-tens pattern without exception.

Build Number Fluency

FluentFlash uses spaced repetition to build automatic number processing. The reversed order becomes natural through regular practice with our FSRS algorithm.

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Numbers 1, 20, The Foundation

These twenty numbers are your building blocks. Numbers 1-12 are unique and require memorization. Numbers 13-19 follow a simple pattern: ones digit plus zehn (ten).

Important Spelling Notes

Two numbers have special spelling rules. Sechzehn (16) drops the "s" from "sechs." Siebzehn (17) shortens "sieben" to "sieb." These patterns repeat in all higher numbers ending in 16 and 17.

Term	Meaning	Pronunciation	Example
eins	1, one	EYNS	Ich habe eins., I have one.
zwei	2, two	TSVEY	Zwei Kaffee, bitte., Two coffees, please.
drei	3, three	DREY	Ich habe drei Geschwister., I have three siblings.
vier	4, four	FEER	Das Zimmer hat vier Fenster., The room has four windows.
fünf	5, five	FUENF	Es ist fünf Uhr., It is five o'clock.
sechs	6, six	ZEKS	Wir arbeiten sechs Tage pro Woche., We work six days per week.
sieben	7, seven	ZEE-ben	Die Woche hat sieben Tage., The week has seven days.
acht	8, eight	AHKHT	Der Unterricht beginnt um acht., Class begins at eight.
neun	9, nine	NOYN	Ich habe neun Cousins., I have nine cousins.
zehn	10, ten	TSEHN	Das kostet zehn Euro., That costs ten euros.
elf	11, eleven	ELF	Es ist elf Uhr morgens., It is eleven in the morning.
zwölf	12, twelve	TSVOELF	Das Jahr hat zwölf Monate., The year has twelve months.
dreizehn	13, thirteen	DREY-tsehn	Er ist dreizehn Jahre alt., He is thirteen years old.
vierzehn	14, fourteen	FEER-tsehn	Wir kommen in vierzehn Tagen., We come in fourteen days.
fünfzehn	15, fifteen	FUENF-tsehn	Ich bin in fünfzehn Minuten da., I'll be there in fifteen minutes.
sechzehn	16, sixteen (sechs drops -s)	ZEKH-tsehn	Sie ist sechzehn Jahre alt., She is sixteen years old.
siebzehn	17, seventeen (sieben shortens)	ZEEP-tsehn	Siebzehn ist meine Glückszahl., Seventeen is my lucky number.
achtzehn	18, eighteen	AHKH-tsehn	Mit achtzehn darf man wählen., At eighteen you can vote.
neunzehn	19, nineteen	NOYN-tsehn	Der Zug fährt um neunzehn Uhr., The train departs at 19:00.
zwanzig	20, twenty	TSVAHN-tsikh	Das kostet zwanzig Euro., That costs twenty euros.

Numbers 21, 100, The Reversed Pattern

Here is where German diverges from English. In compound numbers, the ones digit comes first, followed by und (and), then the tens digit. All written as one word. So 21 is einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty) and 54 is vierundfünfzig (four-and-fifty).

Understanding Tens Words

All tens words end in -zig except dreißig (30), which ends in -ßig. Notice that sechzig (60) and siebzig (70) follow the same dropping and shortening rules as 16 and 17.

Compound Number Rules

Every number from 21-99 follows this pattern without exception. Eins drops to "ein" in compounds, so 21 is "einundzwanzig," not "einsundzwanzig."

Term	Meaning	Pronunciation	Example
einundzwanzig	21, one-and-twenty	EYN-oont-tsvahn-tsikh	Ich bin einundzwanzig Jahre alt., I am twenty-one years old.
zweiundzwanzig	22, two-and-twenty	TSVEY-oont-tsvahn-tsikh	Es gibt zweiundzwanzig Schüler., There are twenty-two students.
dreiundzwanzig	23, three-and-twenty	DREY-oont-tsvahn-tsikh	Mein Geburtstag ist am dreiundzwanzigsten., My birthday is on the 23rd.
achtundzwanzig	28, eight-and-twenty	AHKHT-oont-tsvahn-tsikh	Februar hat achtundzwanzig Tage., February has twenty-eight days.
dreißig	30, thirty (note: -ßig, not -zig)	DREY-sikh	Ich habe dreißig Minuten Pause., I have thirty minutes of break.
einunddreißig	31, one-and-thirty	EYN-oont-drey-sikh	Januar hat einunddreißig Tage., January has thirty-one days.
vierzig	40, forty	FEER-tsikh	Mein Vater ist vierzig Jahre alt., My father is forty years old.
fünfzig	50, fifty	FUENF-tsikh	Das kostet fünfzig Cent., That costs fifty cents.
sechzig	60, sixty (sechs drops -s)	ZEKH-tsikh	Eine Stunde hat sechzig Minuten., An hour has sixty minutes.
siebzig	70, seventy (sieben shortens)	ZEEP-tsikh	Meine Oma ist siebzig., My grandma is seventy.
achtzig	80, eighty	AHKH-tsikh	Bus Nummer achtzig., Bus number eighty.
neunzig	90, ninety	NOYN-tsikh	Ich muss neunzig Seiten lesen., I have to read ninety pages.
hundert / einhundert	100, one hundred	HOON-dert / EYN-hoon-dert	Das kostet hundert Euro., That costs one hundred euros.

Using Numbers in Everyday German

German numbers appear in specific contexts: telling time, giving dates, shopping, and providing phone numbers. Understanding these real-world applications helps you use numbers naturally in conversation.

Time Expressions

Time tells has a major pitfall. Halb drei means half past two, not half past three. The German system counts toward the next hour, not from the current hour. Viertel nach (quarter past) and Viertel vor (quarter to) follow the same logic as English.

Age and Shopping

When stating your age or asking prices, use cardinal numbers directly. "Wie alt bist du?" (How old are you?) expects a simple answer like "Ich bin fünfundzwanzig" (I am 25).

Term	Meaning	Pronunciation	Example
Wie alt bist du?	How old are you? (informal)	vee AHLT bist doo	Wie alt bist du?, Ich bin fünfundzwanzig., How old are you?, I'm 25.
Wie viel Uhr ist es?	What time is it?	vee feel OOR ist es	Wie viel Uhr ist es?, Es ist drei Uhr., What time is it?, It's 3 o'clock.
Was kostet das?	How much does that cost?	vahs KOS-tet dahs	Was kostet das?, Das kostet fünfundvierzig Euro., How much is that?, 45 euros.
halb drei	half past two (lit. 'half three', halfway to 3)	HAHLP drey	Wir treffen uns um halb drei., We meet at half past two.
Viertel vor / Viertel nach	quarter to / quarter past	FEER-tel for / FEER-tel nahkh	Es ist Viertel nach acht., It is quarter past eight.
der erste / der zweite / der dritte	the first / the second / the third (ordinal)	dehr ERS-teh / TSVEY-teh / DRIT-teh	Heute ist der fünfzehnte April., Today is April 15th.
die Telefonnummer	the phone number	dee teh-leh-FOHN-noom-mer	Meine Nummer ist null-drei-null, vier-fünf-sechs., My number is 030-456.
die Hälfte	the half	dee HELF-teh	Ich möchte die Hälfte., I would like half.

How to Study German Effectively

Mastering German requires the right approach, not just more hours. Research in cognitive science shows three techniques produce the best results: active recall (testing yourself rather than re-reading), spaced repetition (reviewing at scientifically-optimized intervals), and interleaving (mixing related topics rather than studying one in isolation).

Why Passive Review Fails

The most common mistake is relying on passive methods. Re-reading notes, highlighting textbook passages, and watching lectures feel productive. However, studies show these methods produce only 10-20% of the retention that active recall achieves. Flashcards force your brain to retrieve information, which strengthens memory pathways far more than recognition alone.

FluentFlash FSRS Algorithm

FluentFlash is built around all three techniques. Our FSRS algorithm schedules every term for review at exactly the moment you are about to forget it. This maximizes retention while minimizing study time.

Your Practical Study Plan

Start by creating 15-25 flashcards covering the highest-priority concepts. Review them daily for the first week using FSRS scheduling. As cards become easier, intervals automatically expand from minutes to days to weeks. You are always working on material at the edge of your knowledge. After 2-3 weeks of consistent practice, German concepts become automatic rather than effortful.

1
Generate flashcards using FluentFlash AI or create them manually from your notes
2
Study 15-20 new cards per day, plus scheduled reviews
3
Use multiple study modes (flip, multiple choice, written) to strengthen recall
4
Track your progress and identify weak topics for focused review
5
Review consistently, daily practice beats marathon sessions

Master German Numbers with Flashcards

Use AI-powered spaced repetition to build automatic German number processing. FluentFlash drills the reversed ones-and-tens pattern until it becomes second nature.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are German numbers backwards compared to English?

German places the ones digit before the tens digit in numbers 21-99. Einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty) means 21. This feels reversed to English speakers because English switched to tens-first order centuries ago. German preserved the original Germanic pattern.

Historical Context

Middle English used the same ones-first system. The nursery rhyme "four and twenty blackbirds" reflects this old English pattern. Dutch, Afrikaans, and some Scandinavian languages still use it today.

Why It Matters for Listening

The reversal is mainly a listening challenge. When someone says a phone number or price quickly, you must mentally reassemble the digits. Practice with spaced repetition builds automatic processing. You develop the fluency needed to handle German numbers at conversational speed without thinking.

How does German time telling work?

Halb drei means half past two, not half past three. The German system refers to the upcoming hour. "Halb" literally means "half (of the way to) three." This is opposite to English, where "half past three" refers to the hour already passed.

Quarter Hours and 24-Hour Clock

For quarter hours, German uses Viertel nach (quarter past) and Viertel vor (quarter to), which work the same as English. "Es ist Viertel nach zehn" means "It is quarter past ten."

Germany uses the 24-hour clock extensively in schedules, timetables, and formal contexts. "Der Zug fährt um fünfzehn Uhr dreißig" means "The train departs at 15:30." In casual speech, the 12-hour clock is common, but understanding both systems is essential.

What is special about dreißig (30) in German?

Dreißig is the only tens number that does not end in -zig. While zwanzig (20), vierzig (40), fünfzig (50), sechzig (60), siebzig (70), achtzig (80), and neunzig (90) all use the -zig suffix, thirty uses -ßig instead.

Historical Remnant

This irregularity is a historical remnant from how the number evolved in German. The ß (Eszett or sharp S) in dreißig represents an "ss" sound, so it is pronounced "DREY-sikh." In Swiss German, which does not use the ß character, it is written as "dreissig."

Compound Numbers

Aside from this spelling quirk, dreißig behaves exactly like all other tens numbers when forming compounds. Einunddreißig (31), zweiunddreißig (32), and all others follow the standard ones-und-tens pattern.

How do German ordinal numbers work?

German ordinals are formed by adding -te to cardinal numbers 1-19, and -ste for 20 and above. For example, vier (4) becomes vierte (4th), and zwanzig (20) becomes zwanzigste (20th).

Three Irregular Ordinals

You must memorize three irregulars: erste (1st), dritte (3rd), and siebte (7th, not siebente). These are the only exceptions in the entire system.

Gender and Number Agreement

Ordinal numbers are adjectives and must agree in gender, case, and number with the noun they modify. When written as a numeral, German marks ordinals with a period after the number. So 1. means "first" and 15. means "fifteenth." This is important for dates: "der 15. April" is read as "der fünfzehnte April" (April 15th). Understanding ordinals is essential for dates, floor numbers, and sequencing in everyday German.

How do you say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 in German?

The numbers 1-8 in German are eins (1), zwei (2), drei (3), vier (4), fünf (5), sechs (6), sieben (7), and acht (8).

Memorize These First

These form the foundation for all higher numbers. Once you know 1-8, you can build numbers like 18, 28, 38, and all the way to 98 by adding -zehn or the appropriate tens word.

Practice Pronunciation

German pronunciation is consistent once you learn the sound rules. Eins (EYNS), zwei (TSVEY), drei (DREY), vier (FEER), fünf (FUENF), sechs (ZEKS), sieben (ZEE-ben), and acht (AHKHT) are worth drilling with flashcards until they become automatic.

How to write numbers 1 to 100 in German?

Writing German numbers requires understanding the compound word rules. Numbers 1-20 are individual words: eins, zwei, drei through zwanzig.

Tens Words (20-100)

Tens are single words: zwanzig (20), dreißig (30), vierzig (40), fünfzig (50), sechzig (60), siebzig (70), achtzig (80), neunzig (90), hundert (100).

Compound Numbers (21-99)

Compound numbers from 21-99 are written as one word. The ones digit, und, and the tens digit combine with no spaces. So 25 is fünfundzwanzig, not "fünf und zwanzig." 77 is siebenundsiebzig. This single-word format applies to all compound numbers without exception.

What is 777777 in German?

The number 777777 in German is siebenhundertsiebenundsiebzigtausendsiebenundsiebzighundertsiebenundsiebzig. This breaks down as follows: siebenhundertsiebenundsiebzig (777) + tausend (thousand) + siebenhundertsiebenundsiebzig (777).

Understanding Large Numbers

German writes large numbers as single compounds with no spaces or hyphens. You need to know how to build the smaller components first (1-999), then combine them with tausend (thousand), Million (million), and Milliarde (billion).

Build Progressively

Master 1-100 first, then expand to 1-1000. Once you understand the pattern for building compounds, numbers of any size follow the same rules. The key is practicing the ones-und-tens reversal until it becomes automatic.

How to count 1 to 10 in Germany?

Counting 1-10 in German is the essential foundation for all number learning. The numbers are eins (1), zwei (2), drei (3), vier (4), fünf (5), sechs (6), sieben (7), acht (8), neun (9), and zehn (10).

Pronunciation Practice

Drill pronunciation with clear audio: EYNS, TSVEY, DREY, FEER, FUENF, ZEKS, ZEE-ben, AHKHT, NOYN, TSEHN. Most German speakers pause between each number when counting aloud, so you can practice at a comfortable pace.

Daily Flashcard Review

Studies in cognitive science consistently show that active recall combined with spaced repetition outperforms passive review by significant margins. This is exactly the approach FluentFlash uses. Even 10-15 minutes daily is more effective than long, infrequent study sessions. The FSRS algorithm automatically schedules reviews at the optimal moment for retention.