Numbers in German: Counting, Prices & More

Learning German is known for being pretty complicated, so if you’ve just started studying it, don’t get discouraged! Learning the numbers of a language is an important step to being able to use it in everyday life. And thankfully, as far as German vocabulary goes, numbers aren’t all that complicated. Keep reading this article to learn how to say the numbers in German and use them in different situations.

Last updated 24/7/2024

Numbers in German from 1 to 100

Numbers in German from 1 to 20

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Mosatips: 

• Like in English, numbers 1 through 12 have their own special names.
• After that, we create new numbers by adding “ten”: drei (3) + zehn (10) = 13 (dreizehn or thirteen).
• All numbers up to one million are written as one word, without hyphens or spaces.
• If you struggle with memorizing words, we recommend reading our article on how to learn vocabulary.

To learn the numbers in German 1-20, you’ll just have to memorize the first twelve digits, and from the number 13 onwards, add the “ten” suffix.

(Feel free to download these German number cheat sheets! Right-click on the image to save it to your computer, or press down on and hold it to save it to a mobile device.)

Numbers in German from 20 to 100

Multiples of tens are formed by putting together the original number and -zig. For example, 30 is dreißig, 40 is vierzig, 50 is fünzig, etc.

The only exception is 20, which is irregular, zwanzig.

When adding the unit and multiple of ten, we use the word und (meaning and): einundzwanzig (21, or “one and twenty”), dreiundsechzig (63, or “three and sixty”). So the formula is: unit + und + tens. Easy!

In English, for numbers 20 and above, we put the multiple of ten before the unit: twenty one, thirty two, fourty nine. In German, it always stays at the end: einundvierzig (41), zweiundsechzig (62), neunundachtzig (89)

Now you know how to form numbers in German 1-100!

Ordinal numbers in German

Ordinal numbers indicate order, as their name implies (first, second, third, etc.). Here, it’s worth mentioning a couple of things regarding the formation of ordinal numbers:

• For 2nd, and from 4th to 19th, add the ending “-te” to the cardinal number. So you get zweite (second), vierte (fourth), fünfte (fifth), and so on.
• For numbers 20th to 1 millionth, you add the ending “-ste” to the cardinal number: vierundzwanzigste (twenty-fourth, 24th), dreiundvierzigste (forty-third, 43rd).
• Ordinal numbers 1st and 3rd are irregular: erste (first) and dritte (third).

Prices in German

Here’s how to write and say prices in German:

0,05 € –> fünf Cent

2 € –> zwei Euro

2,10 € –> zwei Euro zehn (Cent)

Advanced Numbers in German: Declensions in Cardinal Numbers

If you study German, I’m sure you’re familiar with declensions. But, what are declensions really? Declension is a way of showing the role of a noun (or adjective, article, etc.) in a sentence. That is, the ending of the word changes based on whether it’s the subject, a direct or indirect object, etc.

German rules dictate that, whenever possible, the case, number, and gender of a noun must be indicated with a declension.

Because numbers are nouns, they also have declensions. But don’t worry! That’s not the case for all numbers. In fact, only numbers 1, 2, and 3 have declensions. Let’s see how it works:

Declensions of 1 (eins)

• If the number 1 is not followed by a noun, then it doesn’t need a declension and we always say “eins”:

Formel eins = Formula one (in this case the noun goes first)

• If the number 1 is followed by a noun, we normally use the weak declension, which equals the indefinite (a, an) article:

Ich habe eine Lampe = I have a lamp

Declensions for 2 and 3

• If 2 and 3 are not followed by a noun, they don’t need a declension, so it’s always zwei and drei.
• If 2 and 3 are followed by a noun, they only need the declension in the Genitiv when not preceded by an article. The ending in Genitiv is -er: zweier, dreier, e.g. Er hat das Einverständnis zweier Mitarbeiter. We can eliminate the use of Genitiv using the preposition “von” – in the first example we could simply say: Er hat das Einverständnis von zwei Mitarbeitern. The cardinal number remains unchanged and only the object (that is now in Dativ because of the preposition “von”) needs a declension and becomes “Mitarbeitern“. In case this seems easier to you. Also, German speakers generally don’t use Genitiv when they don’t have to 😉

Learn More German Numbers and Other Vocab

If you’re a fan of electronic music, you can memorize these numbers super quickly with a remix of… a classic nursery rhyme. The German group Mo-Do created an incredibly popular techno version of the children’s song “Eins, Zwei, Polizei” in 1995. Check it out:

Lyrics:

“Eins, zwei, Polizei
Drei, vier, Grenadier
Fünf, sechs, alte Hex’
Sieben, acht – gute Nacht!”

It’s so catchy that you can’t help but memorize the lyrics—it’s a great way to learn to count to 10 in German! Plus, rhyme is an effective technique for remembering correct German pronunciation. If you’re interested in learning a language with music, here’s another article we think you’ll like.

Articles about learning German

Here are a couple of articles on other German vocab you should know:

• Essential phrases: How to Say Hello, Thank You and Sorry in German
• Informal language: German Slang Words to Sound Like A Native Speaker [VIDEO]
• Tools for learning vocab and practicing other skills:
  • The Best English to German Dictionary Available on the Internet
  • Resources to Learn German

If all that stuff about declension and articles had your head spinning, you may also want to check out our German grammar guide. We’ve put together a guide to different topics in German grammar (we add to it frequently!), explained in a user-friendly way.

Improve your German comprehension

Finally, if you have an intermediate or advanced level and you like TV shows, go to MosaSeries: Der Mann Ohne Namen and start practicing your listening skills.

Hope to see you again soon!