German Numbers – Counting in German up to 999,999
Today you will learn the German numbers 1 up to 999,999.
No need to learn all numbers by heart ❌ There’s a system.
Counting in German is easy if you do it right!
🎓 Quiz | Test how well you know German numbers
Can you get more than 8 correct answers? 🤷♂️
Here are 10 questions ⏬ – find out!
Click on the correct answer.
Numbers One to Five in German
Let’s start simple.
Listen to the numbers in German 12345 and also the 4 vocabulary words you need for the exercise further down the page.
eins (1) | one |
zwei (2) | two |
drei (3) | three |
vier (4) | four |
fünf (5) | five |
Was ist…? | What is…? |
plus | plus |
minus | minus |
gleich | equals |
German Numbers | Tips
Now it’s getting serious.
But don’t worry, you don’t need to learn all German numbers up to 999,999 by heart. If you see the pattern you are able to continue the series of numbers by yourself.
By the way, usually we don’t write numbers in words. We write one to ten in words, then we write just numbers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 …
Please also note that in some cases the g at the end of a word sounds rather like a ch especially when the word ends with ig.
Mastering numbers is great, but becoming fluent in German requires knowing 7 special rules. Curious? Take the 7 Rule Challenge!
Numbers in German 1 to 10
1 = eins
2 = zwei
3 = drei
4 = vier
5 = fünf
6 = sechs
7 = sieben
8 = acht
9 = neun
10 = zehn
The German numbers from 11 to 20 can also be a little tricky
11 = elf
12 = zwölf
13 = dreizehn
14 = vierzehn
15 = fünfzehn
16 = sechzehn
17 = siebzehn
18 = achtzehn
19 = neunzehn
20 = zwanzig
You can clearly see the pattern in the German numbers from 21 to 999,999
21 = einundzwanzig
22 = zweiundzwanzig
23 = dreiundzwanzig
24 = vierundzwanzig
25 = fünfundzwanzig
31 = einunddreißig
32 = zweiunddreißig
33 = dreiunddreißig
50 = fünfzig
60 = sechzig
70 = siebzig
80 = achtzig
90 = neunzig
100 = einhundert (hundert)
101 = einhunderteins
102 = einhundertzwei
103 = einhundertdrei
110 = einhundertzehn
111 = einhundertelf
120 = einhundertzwanzig
121 = einhunderteinundzwanzig
130 = einhundertdreißig
131 = einhunderteinunddreißig
140 = einhundertvierzig
150 = einhundertfünfzig
201 = zweihunderteins
210 = zweihundertzehn
300 = dreihundert
400 = vierhundert
1.000 = eintausend (tausend)
1.001 = eintausendeins
1.100 = eintausendeinhundert
2.000 = zweitausend
3.000 = dreitausend
10.000 = zehntausend
100.000 = einhunderttausend
999.999
= neunhundertneunundneunzigtausendneunhundertneunundneunzig
Ordinal number (how to say first, second and third etc. in German)
Ordinal numbers in German are essential for everyday conversations, helping you to express order and rank.
Here’s a quick guide on how to say the first ten ordinal numbers in German:
- erste (first) – Pronounced as “AIR-stuh”, this term is used to indicate the very first in a sequence.
- zweite (second) – Pronounced as “TSVY-tuh”, it denotes the second position.
- dritte (third) – Pronounced as “DRI-tuh”, this word signifies the third place.
- vierte (fourth) – Pronounced as “FEER-tuh”, this term is used for the fourth position.
- fünfte (fifth) – Pronounced as “FUENF-tuh”, it signifies the fifth place.
- sechste (sixth) – Pronounced as “ZECHST-uh”, this term is for the sixth position.
- siebte (seventh) – Pronounced as “ZEEB-tuh”, it denotes the seventh place.
- achte (eighth) – Pronounced as “AHCH-tuh”, this word signifies the eighth position.
- neunte (ninth) – Pronounced as “NOIN-tuh”, it is used for the ninth place.
- zehnte (tenth) – Pronounced as “TSEHN-tuh”, this term indicates the tenth position.
Understanding ordinal numbers is crucial for situations such as giving directions, organizing events, or simply describing the order of things.
🧮 Calculate with the German numbers 1 to 5
Now you will learn how to calculate in German.
Don’t worry, it is not that difficult.
Have you listened to the vocabulary words from the top of the page? Now you need them. Try to answer the questions out loud.
🎓 Question and Answer Exercise
Try to answer the questions out loud during the pauses. This way, you train your brain to think in German. This is an effective learning method.
Frage:
Was ist eins und eins? (1 + 1)
Kurze Antwort:
Zwei
Lange Antwort:
Eins und eins ist zwei.
Was ist eins plus zwei? (1 + 2)
Drei
Eins plus zwei ist drei.
Was ist vier minus drei? (4 – 3)
Eins
Vier minus drei ist eins.
Was ist fünf minus eins? (5 – 1)
Vier
Fünf minus eins ist vier.
Oder: Fünf minus eins ist gleich vier.
Und was ist drei plus zwei? (3 + 2)
Fünf
Drei plus zwei ist gleich fünf.
Was ist 789621598 + 45968521255?
Ich mache nur Spaß!
Just kidding 😅
Period or comma in numbers?
I know that the use of the comma and the period in German numbers often leads to confusion. You just have to remember the following:
In German we use the comma as the decimal separator and the period as the thousands separator.
In Germany it is in contrast to e.g. England. In England you write it the other way around.
In Germany:
one thousand = 1.000
In England:
one thousand = 1,000
Here you can learn the German punctuation.
Es spielt keine Rolle, wie langsam du gehst, solange du nicht aufhörst.
= It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
~ Confucius
You can learn much more than just counting in German if you want. My subscribers get step-by-step access to many more lessons.
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🎓 Final Sprint Quiz: Can you recognize over 90% of German numbers?
Answer the following 15 questions ⏬ to show how well you’ve learned German numbers.
Lesson 1
German Articles der, die, das
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Lesson 9
LIEBEN + HASSEN
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You are in Lesson 10
Numbers in German up to 999.999
Lesson 11
sie, sie und Sie – WHAT?
Lesson 12
Er, SIE, ES instead of a Noun
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Lesson 20
German Umlauts Ä Ö Ü
Lesson 30
Telling time in German
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