🎯 Today's Learning Goals / Lernziele
- Count confidently from 0 to 100 in German
- Understand the 21-99 'flip' rule: ones digit first, then und, then tens digit
- Recognise the six irregular number forms (sechzehn, siebzehn, zwanzig, dreißig, sechzig, siebzig)
- Use zwei vs zwo correctly in spoken contexts like phone numbers and train platforms
- Read and say prices, phone numbers, ages, and addresses in German
- Ask someone to repeat or speak more slowly
📚 Grammar & Rules / Grammatik
1. Block 1 — Numbers 0 to 12 (Memorise Individually)
The numbers 0-12 must be learned by heart. There is no pattern.
These are the building blocks for every other number. Note that 'eins' is used when counting alone, but becomes 'ein' inside compound numbers (einundzwanzig = 21). The numbers zwei and zwölf both start with 'zw-' [tsv-].
| HEADER | PATTERN | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | null | [nool] |
| 1 | eins | [eyns] |
| 2 | zwei | [tsvy] |
| 3 | drei | [dry] |
| 4 | vier | [feer] |
| 5 | fünf | [fünf] |
| 6 | sechs | [zeks] |
| 7 | sieben | [ZEE-ben] |
| 8 | acht | [akht] |
| 9 | neun | [noyn] |
| 10 | zehn | [tsayn] |
| 11 | elf | [elf] |
| 12 | zwölf | [tsvölf] |
Ich bin eins.
— I am number one.
💡 'eins' when standing alone
Zimmer vier, bitte.
— Room four, please.
Gleis sieben
— Platform seven
⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't confuse 'vier' [feer] with 'für' [für] (for). They sound quite different.
💡 Study Tip: Many of these are close to English: sechs/six, sieben/seven, neun/nine, zehn/ten. Use those as anchors.
2. Block 2 — Numbers 13 to 19 (digit + zehn)
Take the single digit and add -zehn (equivalent to English '-teen').
Almost perfectly regular, with only two exceptions: sechzehn (16) drops the 's' from sechs, and siebzehn (17) drops the 'en' from sieben. These shortenings exist purely because 'sechszehn' and 'siebenzehn' would be awkward to pronounce.
| HEADER | PATTERN | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | dreizehn | regular |
| 14 | vierzehn | regular |
| 15 | fünfzehn | regular |
| 16 | sechzehn | drops the 's' from sechs |
| 17 | siebzehn | drops the 'en' from sieben |
| 18 | achtzehn | regular |
| 19 | neunzehn | regular |
Ich bin sechzehn Jahre alt.
— I am sixteen years old.
💡 sechzehn, NOT sechszehn
Das kostet siebzehn Euro.
— That costs seventeen euros.
💡 siebzehn, NOT siebenzehn
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do not say 'sechszehn' (with the s) or 'siebenzehn' (with the en). The shortened forms are the only correct ones.
💡 Study Tip: Only 16 and 17 are irregular — the same two numbers that are also irregular in the tens. Sechs and sieben always get shortened in compounds.
3. Block 3 — The Tens (digit + zig)
Take the single digit and add -zig. The same two shortenings apply, plus two spelling oddities.
Sechzig (60) drops the 's' and siebzig (70) drops the 'en', just like in the teens. Zwanzig (20) is NOT 'zweizig'. Dreißig (30) is the only ten spelled with ß instead of -zig. The -ig ending is pronounced [ihy] in standard German, not [ik].
| HEADER | PATTERN | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | zwanzig | NOT zweizig |
| 30 | dreißig | spelled with ß, not -zig |
| 40 | vierzig | regular |
| 50 | fünfzig | regular |
| 60 | sechzig | drops the 's' |
| 70 | siebzig | drops the 'en' |
| 80 | achtzig | regular |
| 90 | neunzig | regular |
| 100 | (ein)hundert | 'ein' is optional |
Er ist dreißig Jahre alt.
— He is thirty years old.
💡 dreißig with ß
Das sind sechzig Euro.
— That is sixty euros.
💡 sechzig, not sechszig
⚠️ Common Mistake: dreißig is spelled with ß, not 'dreizig' or 'dreisig'. It is the only ten that uses ß.
💡 Study Tip: The -ig ending sounds like [ihy] in standard German: zwanzig = [TSVAN-tsihy]. In Bavaria/Austria you may hear [tsik], but [ihy] is the standard.
4. Block 4 — The 21-99 Flip
German says the ones digit FIRST, then 'und', then the tens digit — written as ONE word.
This is the only genuinely tricky thing about German numbers. 47 = siebenundvierzig (literally 'seven-and-forty'). English used to do this too: 'four and twenty blackbirds'. German simply never stopped. The compound is always written as a single word with no spaces or hyphens. Inside compounds, the digit 1 is 'ein' (not 'eins'): 21 = einundzwanzig.
einundzwanzig
— 21 (one-and-twenty)
💡 'ein', not 'eins' in compounds
fünfunddreißig
— 35 (five-and-thirty)
siebenundvierzig
— 47 (seven-and-forty)
achtundfünfzig
— 58 (eight-and-fifty)
sechsundsechzig
— 66 (six-and-sixty)
neunundneunzig
— 99 (nine-and-ninety)
⚠️ Common Mistake: Listen to the END of the number, not the beginning. When a German says a price, the tens digit comes last. Train yourself to wait before writing it down.
💡 Study Tip: Practice: say your phone number aloud in German, in pairs. Then your birth year. Then count 20-30. Ten minutes and the flip becomes automatic.
5. zwei vs zwo
In spoken German, 'zwo' is often used instead of 'zwei' when clarity matters.
Zwei and drei sound dangerously similar, especially over a bad phone line or a noisy train station. To avoid confusion, Germans say 'zwo' [tsvoh] when there is any chance of mishearing. This is standard practice, not slang. You can use it too — it makes you sound like you know what you are doing.
Gleis zwo
— Platform two (announcement style)
Zwo-sieben-vier
— Two-seven-four (phone number)
⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't use 'zwo' in written German or in compound numbers. It is only for spoken clarity in isolation.
💡 Study Tip: Whenever you read a phone number or hear a platform announcement, listen for 'zwo' — it always means 'two'.
6. Prices, Phone Numbers & Addresses
Germany uses a comma for decimals and a dot for thousands: 1.250,50 € = one thousand two hundred fifty euros fifty.
Prices are spoken as 'X Euro Y' — e.g. 12,50 € = 'zwölf Euro fünfzig' or casually 'zwölf fünfzig'. Phone numbers are read digit by digit, usually grouped in twos: 0174-55 21 90 = 'null-eins-sieben-vier, fünfundfünfzig, einundzwanzig, neunzig'. Addresses state the house number after the street name: Hauptstraße 28.
Zwölf Euro fünfzig
— 12.50 euros (written 12,50 €)
💡 Comma = decimal in German
Meine Nummer ist null-eins-sieben-vier.
— My number is 0-1-7-4.
Ich wohne in der Hauptstraße achtundzwanzig.
— I live at Hauptstraße 28.
⚠️ Common Mistake: 1.250,50 € means one thousand two hundred fifty euros and fifty cents — NOT 1.25 euros. The dot and comma are swapped compared to English.
💡 Study Tip: When reading prices: the number before the comma is euros, after the comma is cents. Think of the comma as your decimal point.
📖 Study Offline with the Official German A1 Ebook (PDF)
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📖 Core Vocabulary / Wortschatz (45 Words)
Click 🔊 to hear correct German pronunciation. Nouns are marked with articles: der (masculine) die (feminine) das (neuter).
| Audio | German | English | Type | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| null | zero | numeral |
Meine Nummer beginnt mit null. (My number starts with zero.)
|
|
| eins | one | numeral |
Zimmer eins ist links. (Room one is on the left.)
|
|
| zwei | two | numeral |
Ich möchte zwei Kilo Äpfel. (I would like two kilos of apples.)
|
|
| drei | three | numeral |
Wir kommen um drei Uhr. (We are coming at three o'clock.)
|
|
| vier | four | numeral |
Er hat vier Kinder. (He has four children.)
|
|
| fünf | five | numeral |
Fünf Euro, bitte. (Five euros, please.)
|
|
| sechs | six | numeral |
Sechs Eier, bitte. (Six eggs, please.)
|
|
| sieben | seven | numeral |
Der Zug fährt von Gleis sieben. (The train leaves from platform seven.)
|
|
| acht | eight | numeral |
Das Konzert beginnt um acht. (The concert starts at eight.)
|
|
| neun | nine | numeral |
Neun Euro fünfzig, bitte. (Nine euros fifty, please.)
|
|
| zehn | ten | numeral |
Hier sind zehn Euro. (Here is ten euros.)
|
|
| elf | eleven | numeral |
Elf Spieler sind im Team. (Eleven players are on the team.)
|
|
| zwölf | twelve | numeral |
Es ist zwölf Uhr. (It is twelve o'clock.)
|
|
| dreizehn | thirteen | numeral |
Dreizehn ist eine Pechzahl. (Thirteen is an unlucky number.)
|
|
| sechzehn | sixteen | numeral |
Sie ist sechzehn Jahre alt. (She is sixteen years old.)
|
|
| siebzehn | seventeen | numeral |
Zimmer siebzehn ist frei. (Room seventeen is free.)
|
|
| zwanzig | twenty | numeral |
Das kostet zwanzig Euro. (That costs twenty euros.)
|
|
| dreißig | thirty | numeral |
Er ist dreißig Jahre alt. (He is thirty years old.)
|
|
| hundert | hundred | numeral |
Einhundert Prozent! (One hundred percent!)
|
|
| zwo | two (spoken variant) | numeral |
Gleis zwo, bitte einsteigen! (Platform two, please board!)
|
|
| dieZahl | the number | noun (f.) |
Welche Zahl kommt nach neun? (Which number comes after nine?)
|
|
| dieNummer | the number (phone/room) | noun (f.) |
Wie ist Ihre Nummer? (What is your number?)
|
|
| dieTelefonnummer | the phone number | noun (f.) |
Wie ist deine Telefonnummer? (What is your phone number?)
|
|
| derEuro | the euro | noun (m.) |
Das kostet fünf Euro. (That costs five euros.)
|
|
| derCent | the cent | noun (m.) |
Und sechzig Cent zurück. (And sixty cents back.)
|
|
| derPreis | the price | noun (m.) |
Was ist der Preis? (What is the price?)
|
|
| kosten | to cost | verb |
Was kosten die Äpfel? (How much are the apples?)
|
|
| wie viel | how much | interrogative |
Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)
|
|
| dasKilo | the kilogram | noun (n.) |
Zwei Euro achtzig pro Kilo. (Two euros eighty per kilo.)
|
|
| dasEi | the egg | noun (n.) |
Sechs Eier, bitte. (Six eggs, please.)
|
|
| derApfel | the apple | noun (m.) |
Was kosten die Äpfel? (How much are the apples?)
|
|
| derVerkäufer | the seller / vendor | noun (m.) |
Der Verkäufer sagt den Preis. (The vendor says the price.)
|
|
| derMarkt | the market | noun (m.) |
Wir sind auf dem Markt. (We are at the market.)
|
|
| dasZimmer | the room | noun (n.) |
Zimmer einhundertzwölf. (Room 112.)
|
|
| dasGleis | the platform (train) | noun (n.) |
Der Zug fährt von Gleis sieben. (The train leaves from platform seven.)
|
|
| derZug | the train | noun (m.) |
Der Zug kommt um zehn. (The train comes at ten.)
|
|
| zusammen | together / altogether | adverb |
Das macht zusammen neun Euro. (That comes to nine euros altogether.)
|
|
| zurück | back / change (money) | adverb |
Sechzig Cent zurück. (Sixty cents change.)
|
|
| nehmen | to take | verb |
Ich nehme zwei Kilo. (I'll take two kilos.)
|
|
| wiederholen | to repeat | verb |
Können Sie das wiederholen? (Can you repeat that?)
|
|
| langsamer | more slowly | adverb (comparative) |
Bitte langsamer sprechen. (Please speak more slowly.)
|
|
| natürlich | of course / naturally | adverb |
Natürlich! Neun Euro vierzig. (Of course! Nine euros forty.)
|
|
| gerne | gladly / with pleasure | adverb |
Gerne. Sonst noch etwas? (Gladly. Anything else?)
|
|
| sonst noch etwas | anything else | phrase |
Sonst noch etwas? (Anything else?)
|
|
| Wie alt bist du? | How old are you? | phrase |
Wie alt bist du? — Ich bin dreiundzwanzig. (How old are you? — I am 23.)
|
💬 Key Conversational Phrases / Redemittel
Wie viel kostet das?
How much does that cost? · Asking for a price in a shop or market
Was kosten die ...?
How much are the ...? · Asking about the price of plural items
Das macht zusammen ...
That comes to ... altogether · Vendor stating the total
Können Sie das wiederholen, bitte?
Can you repeat that, please? · When you did not understand a number or price
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
Can you speak more slowly, please? · When someone speaks too fast
Wie ist deine Telefonnummer?
What is your phone number? · Asking someone for their number informally
Meine Nummer ist ...
My number is ... · Giving your phone number
Wie alt bist du?
How old are you? · Asking someone's age informally
Ich bin ... Jahre alt.
I am ... years old. · Stating your age
Dann nehme ich ..., bitte.
Then I'll take ..., please. · Ordering or selecting at a market or shop
Sonst noch etwas?
Anything else? · Vendor checking if you want more
Hier sind ... Euro.
Here is ... euros. · Handing over payment
Schönen Tag noch!
Have a nice day! · Friendly farewell from or to a vendor
Danke, gleichfalls!
Thanks, you too! · Replying to a good wish
🗣️ Practical Dialogue / Dialog
Situation: Auf dem Markt (At the Market)
Verkäufer:
Guten Morgen! Was darf es sein?
Good morning! What can I get you?
Sofia:
Guten Morgen. Was kosten die Äpfel?
Good morning. How much are the apples?
Verkäufer:
Zwei Euro achtzig pro Kilo.
Two euros eighty per kilo.
Sofia:
Dann nehme ich zwei Kilo, bitte.
Then I will take two kilos, please.
Verkäufer:
Gerne. Sonst noch etwas?
Gladly. Anything else?
Sofia:
Ja, sechs Eier, bitte.
Yes, six eggs, please.
Verkäufer:
Sechs Eier... Das macht zusammen neun Euro vierzig.
Six eggs... That comes to nine euros forty altogether.
Sofia:
Wie viel? Können Sie das wiederholen, bitte?
How much? Can you repeat that, please?
Verkäufer:
Natürlich. Neun Euro vierzig. Neun — vier — null.
Of course. Nine euros forty. Nine — four — zero.
Sofia:
Ah, danke. Hier sind zehn Euro.
Ah, thank you. Here is ten euros.
Verkäufer:
Und sechzig Cent zurück. Schönen Tag noch!
And sixty cents back. Have a nice day!
Sofia:
Danke, gleichfalls!
Thanks, you too!