Master German Numbers
German places the ones digit before the tens in compound numbers — 25 is fünfundzwanzig ("five-and-twenty"). This traditional Germanic pattern, once shared by English, can trip up learners who hear the last digit first. German numbers are otherwise very regular, and long compound numbers are written as a single word, occasionally producing impressive strings like dreihundertsechsundfünfzig (356).
Watch the videos below, then download the Foreign Numbers app and practice what you've learned!
German Phone Numbers
How phone numbers work in Germany & how locals say them
| Numeral | Cardinal | Ordinal |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | null | |
| 1 | eins | erste |
| 2 | zwei | zweite |
| 3 | drei | dritte |
| 4 | vier | vierte |
| 5 | fünf | fünfte |
| 6 | sechs | sechste |
| 7 | sieben | siebte |
| 8 | acht | achte |
| 9 | neun | neunte |
| 10 | zehn | zehnte |
| 11 | elf | elfte |
| 12 | zwölf | zwölfte |
| 13 | dreizehn | dreizehnte |
| 14 | vierzehn | vierzehnte |
| 15 | fünfzehn | fünfzehnte |
| 16 | sechzehn | sechzehnte |
| 17 | siebzehn | siebzehnte |
| 18 | achtzehn | achtzehnte |
| 19 | neunzehn | neunzehnte |
| 20 | zwanzig | zwanzigste |
| 21 | einundzwanzig | (-ste from here on) |
| 22 | zweiundzwanzig | |
| 23 | dreiundzwanzig | |
| 24 | vierundzwanzig | |
| 25 | fünfundzwanzig | |
| 26 | sechsundzwanzig | |
| 27 | siebenundzwanzig | |
| 28 | achtundzwanzig | |
| 29 | neunundzwanzig | |
| 30 | dreißig | |
| 40 | vierzig | |
| 50 | fünfzig | |
| 60 | sechzig | |
| 70 | siebzig | |
| 80 | achtzig | |
| 90 | neunzig | |
| 100 | hundert | |
| 1.000 | tausend | |
| 10.000 | zehntausend | |
| 100.000 | hunderttausend | |
| 1.000.000 | eine Million | |
| 1.000.000.000 | eine Milliarde | |
| 1.000.000.000.000 | eine Billion |
Number data and information courtesy of Omniglot.
What Makes German Numbers Challenging
The ones-before-tens inversion means hearing "sechsundfünfzig" (56) and needing to not write 65 — the first digit you hear is actually the last digit of the number. Long compound numbers written as single words (dreihundertsechsundfünfzig = 356) can look intimidating on paper. In phone contexts, the "zwei" vs "drei" confusion led to the convention of saying "zwo" for 2, which learners might not expect. German area codes vary from 2 to 5 digits, making number structure unpredictable.
Tips for Learning German Numbers
Train yourself to hold the first digit you hear and wait for the tens place. Write numbers as you hear them: jot the ones digit, leave a space, then fill in the tens when you hear it. Learn "zwo" as the phone-standard for 2 early on. Practice with German radio or podcast ads that include phone numbers. German number words are long but completely regular — once you know the pattern, even large numbers are just combination.
Practice German Numbers
Reading about numbers is one thing — understanding them spoken at natural speed is another. Test your German number skills with our free listening game.
Play the Number Game