German Numbers 1–1000: How to Count in German

German numbers follow logical patterns once you know the rules — but there are a few quirks that catch English speakers off guard. The teens have two irregular forms, and from 21 onwards German reverses the digit order: units before tens, joined with und. Once you grasp that, the system becomes predictable all the way to a million. This guide walks through every level, plus ordinals, telling time, and prices.

Numbers 1–20: the ones you must memorise

The numbers 1 through 12 are unique and must be learned by heart. From 13, a regular pattern emerges — but 13 and 14 are slightly irregular before the pattern locks in at 15:

Note that sechzehn (16) drops the final s from sechs, and siebzehn (17) drops the -en from sieben. These are the only pronunciation adjustments in the teens.

Numbers 21–99: the reversed compound pattern

Here is the feature that surprises most learners: German compounds numbers 21–99 by saying the units digit first, then und (and), then the tens. This is the exact opposite of English:

• 21 = einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty)
• 34 = vierunddreißig (four-and-thirty)
• 57 = siebenundfünfzig (seven-and-fifty)
• 99 = neunundneunzig (nine-and-ninety)

The compound is written as a single word with no spaces or hyphens. The only exception to the pattern is round tens, which stand alone:

Note: dreißig (30) is spelled with ß, not z. And sechzig (60) again drops the s, and siebzig (70) drops the -en, just like in the teens.

Hundreds

Hundreds are straightforward: number + hundert, all written as one word. The only irregularity is that 100 can be said as just hundert or, more explicitly, einhundert:

The hundreds, tens, and units are all joined into one long word. Vierhundertsechsundfünfzig looks intimidating but once you break it down — four-hundred + six-and-fifty — it is just the patterns stacked together.

Thousands and beyond

Thousands work the same way: number + tausend. From 1,000 upwards:

Important: German Milliarde = English billion (1,000,000,000). The German Billion = English trillion (1,000,000,000,000). This causes real confusion in financial and political contexts, so watch out.

Also note: German uses a period (full stop) where English uses a comma in large numbers, and a comma where English uses a decimal point. So 1.500 in German means one thousand five hundred, and 3,14 means 3.14 (pi). When writing numbers for a German audience, use this convention.

Ordinal numbers

Ordinal numbers (first, second, third…) are formed by adding -te to numbers 2–19 and -ste to numbers 20 and above — with a handful of irregulars at the start. They also take adjective endings, which change with gender and case, but the base form (used after der/die/das) looks like this:

In use: der erste Tag (the first day), zum zweiten Mal (for the second time), am dritten April (on the third of April). Ordinals are written with a period after the numeral in German: am 3. April = on the 3rd of April.

Telling time in German

Telling time in German uses a mix of cardinal numbers and specific phrases. There are two systems — the official 24-hour system used in timetables, and the everyday conversational system:

The most important thing to note: halb vier means half to four (3:30), NOT half past four. This is the single most common time-telling error for English speakers. In German, halb X always means half an hour before X.

Asking the time: Wie spät ist es? (How late is it? = What time is it?) or Wie viel Uhr ist es? (How many o'clock is it? = What time is it?)

Numbers with prices and currency

German prices follow this pattern:

• Das kostet drei Euro zwanzig. — That costs three euros twenty (€3.20).
• Zehn Euro fünfzig, bitte. — Ten euros fifty, please. (€10.50)
Einmal, bitte. — One (ticket / item), please.
• Zweimal, bitte. — Two of those, please.
• Das macht zusammen achtzehn Euro. — That comes to eighteen euros altogether.

German uses a comma as the decimal separator: €3,20 not €3.20. When speaking, the comma is said as nothing — you just say drei Euro zwanzig, not "drei Euro Komma zwanzig."

Frequently asked questions

How do German numbers work?

Numbers 1–12 must be memorised individually. From 13–19, the pattern is number + -zehn (with slight irregularities at 16 and 17). From 21–99, German says the units digit first, then und, then the tens — all as one word. Hundreds use number + hundert; thousands use number + tausend. Everything is written as one compound word.

Why is 21 "einundzwanzig" in German?

German places the units digit before the tens digit, joined by und (and): ein (one) + und (and) + zwanzig (twenty) = einundzwanzig. This reversed order applies to all compound numbers from 21–99. Interestingly, the same structure appeared in Old English — "four and twenty blackbirds" in the nursery rhyme preserves the old pattern.

What is 100 in German?

100 in German is hundert (or einhundert for clarity). 1,000 is tausend. 1,000,000 is eine Million. Note that the German Milliarde equals one billion in English (1,000,000,000) — not one million. This is a common translation trap.

Related guides

• German greetings and essential phrases
• German for beginners — where to start
• German pronunciation guide