German grammar: Zahlen

What this grammar point covers

German numbers (Zahlen) are words used to count, give quantities, and talk about dates, time, and prices. Learning numbers is important for basic communication in German.

When to use it

Use German numbers to count objects, say your age, give phone numbers, tell the time, talk about prices, and mention dates.

Key forms

• eins (1)
• zwei (2)
• drei (3)
• zehn (10)
• zwanzig (20)
• hundert (100)
• tausend (1000)

Examples

Tips

• In German, the number 1 is 'eins', but when used before a noun, it becomes 'ein' or 'eine'.
• For numbers 21 and above, the unit comes before the tens: 'einundzwanzig' (21), not 'zwanzigeins'.
• The number zero is 'null'.

Exceptions and edge cases

• The numbers 16 and 17 are 'sechzehn' and 'siebzehn' (not 'sechszehn', 'siebenzehn').
• The number 30 is 'dreißig', not 'dreizig'.