German Numbers 1-100: How to Count in German

Learning to count is one of the first milestones in any language, and German is no exception. Whether you need German numbers 1-100 for shopping, telling the time, or giving your phone number, this guide covers everything: every number written out, the patterns behind them, and pronunciation tips for the tricky ones.

By the end, you will be counting in German with confidence.

German Numbers 0-12: The Unique Ones

The first thirteen numbers in German have to be memorized individually. They do not follow a predictable pattern, just like in English.

Number	German	Pronunciation Hint
0	null	nool
1	eins	ainss
2	zwei	tsvy
3	drei	dry
4	vier	feer
5	fünf	foonf
6	sechs	zeks
7	sieben	ZEE-ben
8	acht	ahkt
9	neun	noyn
10	zehn	tsayn
11	elf	elf
12	zwölf	tsvurlf

A few things to notice right away:

Zwei starts with a "ts" sound, not a "z" sound like in English. Think of the "ts" in "cats."
Drei rhymes with "dry" — the "ei" combination in German always sounds like the English word "eye."
Sechs sounds like "zeks," not like the English word it resembles. The "ch" before "s" creates a hard "ks" sound.
Sieben has the stress on the first syllable: ZEE-ben.

German Numbers 13-19: The Teen Pattern

From 13 to 19, German follows a simple and predictable pattern: take the single digit and add -zehn (which means "ten"). This is similar to how English adds "-teen."

Number	German	Pattern
13	dreizehn	drei + zehn
14	vierzehn	vier + zehn
15	fünfzehn	fünf + zehn
16	sechzehn	sech + zehn
17	siebzehn	sieb + zehn
18	achtzehn	acht + zehn
19	neunzehn	neun + zehn

Two important exceptions to watch:

Sechzehn (16) drops the "s" from sechs. It is sech-zehn, not sechs-zehn.
Siebzehn (17) drops the "en" from sieben. It is sieb-zehn, not sieben-zehn.

These shortened forms make the words easier to say quickly, and you will see the same pattern repeat in the tens.

German Numbers 20-99: Why German Numbers Are Backwards

This is where German numbers become truly unique — and where most learners need a moment to adjust. In German, the ones digit is said before the tens digit, connected by the word und (and).

The tens themselves follow a pattern using -zig (or -ßig for 30):

Number	German
20	zwanzig
30	dreißig
40	vierzig
50	fünfzig
60	sechzig
70	siebzig
80	achtzig
90	neunzig

Again, notice the same shortening: sechzig (not sechszig) and siebzig (not siebenzig).

Now here is the key rule for compound numbers:

Ones + und + Tens

So 21 is not zwanzig-eins but einundzwanzig — literally "one-and-twenty." Here are more examples:

Number	German	Literal Meaning
21	einundzwanzig	one-and-twenty
34	vierunddreißig	four-and-thirty
47	siebenundvierzig	seven-and-forty
55	fünfundfünfzig	five-and-fifty
63	dreiundsechzig	three-and-sixty
78	achtundsiebzig	eight-and-seventy
86	sechsundachtzig	six-and-eighty
99	neunundneunzig	nine-and-ninety

Notice that these compound numbers are written as one single word with no spaces. That is standard German spelling for numbers under one million.

How Do You Say 21 in German?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions, and it perfectly illustrates the reversed number order. In English, you say "twenty-one" — tens first, then ones. In German, it is flipped:

21 = einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty)

Break it down:

ein = one
und = and
zwanzig = twenty

This reversed structure applies to every two-digit number from 21 to 99 (except the round tens like 20, 30, 40, etc.). Once you internalize this pattern, every number in this range becomes automatic.

A practical tip: when you hear a German number, train yourself to wait for the second part before writing it down. If someone says drei-und-..., hold the 3 in your mind and wait for the tens digit.

Why Are German Numbers Backwards?

If you have ever wondered why German puts the ones digit first, you are not alone. This word order is not random — it is a preserved feature of older Germanic languages.

Old English actually worked the same way. The nursery rhyme "four-and-twenty blackbirds" is a surviving example of this pattern in English. Over centuries, English switched to the tens-first order, but German kept the original structure.

Several other languages share this trait:

Dutch: 21 = eenentwintig (one-and-twenty)
Afrikaans: 21 = een-en-twintig
Danish: has an even more complex system with a base-20 element

The good news? While the order feels strange at first, most learners report that it becomes natural within a few weeks of regular practice. Your brain adapts faster than you expect.

How to Write Numbers 1-100 in German?

Here is the complete reference list of all German numbers from 1 to 100. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you need a quick lookup.

#	German	#	German	#	German	#	German
1	eins	26	sechsundzwanzig	51	einundfünfzig	76	sechsundsiebzig
2	zwei	27	siebenundzwanzig	52	zweiundfünfzig	77	siebenundsiebzig
3	drei	28	achtundzwanzig	53	dreiundfünfzig	78	achtundsiebzig
4	vier	29	neunundzwanzig	54	vierundfünfzig	79	neunundsiebzig
5	fünf	30	dreißig	55	fünfundfünfzig	80	achtzig
6	sechs	31	einunddreißig	56	sechsundfünfzig	81	einundachtzig
7	sieben	32	zweiunddreißig	57	siebenundfünfzig	82	zweiundachtzig
8	acht	33	dreiunddreißig	58	achtundfünfzig	83	dreiundachtzig
9	neun	34	vierunddreißig	59	neunundfünfzig	84	vierundachtzig
10	zehn	35	fünfunddreißig	60	sechzig	85	fünfundachtzig
11	elf	36	sechsunddreißig	61	einundsechzig	86	sechsundachtzig
12	zwölf	37	siebenunddreißig	62	zweiundsechzig	87	siebenundachtzig
13	dreizehn	38	achtunddreißig	63	dreiundsechzig	88	achtundachtzig
14	vierzehn	39	neununddreißig	64	vierundsechzig	89	neunundachtzig
15	fünfzehn	40	vierzig	65	fünfundsechzig	90	neunzig
16	sechzehn	41	einundvierzig	66	sechsundsechzig	91	einundneunzig
17	siebzehn	42	zweiundvierzig	67	siebenundsechzig	92	zweiundneunzig
18	achtzehn	43	dreiundvierzig	68	achtundsechzig	93	dreiundneunzig
19	neunzehn	44	vierundvierzig	69	neunundsechzig	94	vierundneunzig
20	zwanzig	45	fünfundvierzig	70	siebzig	95	fünfundneunzig
21	einundzwanzig	46	sechsundvierzig	71	einundsiebzig	96	sechsundneunzig
22	zweiundzwanzig	47	siebenundvierzig	72	zweiundsiebzig	97	siebenundneunzig
23	dreiundzwanzig	48	achtundvierzig	73	dreiundsiebzig	98	achtundneunzig
24	vierundzwanzig	49	neunundvierzig	74	vierundsiebzig	99	neunundneunzig
25	fünfundzwanzig	50	fünfzig	75	fünfundsiebzig	100	(ein)hundert

The Number 100 and Beyond

The number 100 in German is hundert or einhundert. Both forms are correct, though einhundert is more precise when you want to emphasize that you mean exactly one hundred (as opposed to two hundred, three hundred, etc.).

For numbers above 100, the pattern is straightforward:

101 = hunderteins (hundred-one)
115 = hundertfünfzehn (hundred-fifteen)
143 = hundertdreiundvierzig (hundred-three-and-forty)
200 = zweihundert
1000 = tausend or eintausend

The reversed ones-before-tens order still applies within larger numbers: 243 is zweihundertdreiundvierzig (two-hundred-three-and-forty).

Pronunciation Tips for Tricky German Numbers

Some German numbers trip up learners more than others. Here are the ones to pay extra attention to:

Drei — The "dr" combination is softer than in English. Your tongue should be further back, and the "ei" sounds like "eye." Practice by saying "dry" with a slightly rolled start.

Sechs — Sounds like "zeks." The initial "s" before a vowel in German is always voiced (like English "z"), and the "chs" at the end sounds like "ks." Do not pronounce it like the English word "sex" with an "h" — the vowel is shorter and crisper.

Sieben — Stress falls on the first syllable: ZEE-ben. The "ie" combination in German always makes a long "ee" sound.

Zwanzig — The "-ig" ending at the end of a word is pronounced like "ish" in standard High German (Hochdeutsch). So zwanzig sounds closer to "TSVAN-tsish." In southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, you may hear it as "TSVAN-tsig" with a hard "g."

Fünf — The "ü" sound does not exist in English. Round your lips as if saying "oo" but try to say "ee" instead. The result is the German "ü." Practice: fünf, fünfzehn, fünfzig, fünfundfünfzig.

Dreißig — The "ß" (Eszett) is a sharp "s" sound, and the "-ig" ending follows the same rule as zwanzig. It sounds like "DRY-sish" in standard German.

Want to practice your pronunciation with instant feedback? Try Speech Champion, our pronunciation game that listens to you speak German and scores your accuracy in real time.

Tips for Memorizing German Numbers

Here are proven strategies to make German numbers stick:

1. Count out loud daily. Spend two minutes each morning counting from 1 to 100 in German. Within two weeks, it will feel automatic.

2. Practice with real situations. Read prices at German online shops, say phone numbers digit by digit, or count objects around your room in German.

3. Master the tens first. Lock in zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig, fünfzig, sechzig, siebzig, achtzig, neunzig before worrying about the compound numbers. Once the tens are automatic, adding the ones digit becomes trivial.

4. Use the "wait and combine" technique. When hearing a number like siebenundvierzig, train yourself to hold the 7, hear the 40, and then combine: 47. This is a skill that improves quickly with practice.

5. Quiz yourself. Speed builds fluency. Test your vocabulary with our vocabulary quizzes.

Practice German Numbers With Games and Quizzes

Reading about numbers is a good start, but active practice is what makes them stick. Here are the best ways to drill German numbers on Deutschwunder:

Speech Champion — Say German numbers out loud and get instant pronunciation feedback. Perfect for mastering tricky sounds like fünf, sechs, and zwanzig.
Vocabulary Quizzes — Test your knowledge of German number words and other essential vocabulary.
Pronunciation Quizzes — Practice hearing and identifying German number pronunciations.

For practice anywhere, anytime, download the Deutschwunder app and keep building your German skills on the go.

Viel Erfolg beim Zählen! (Good luck counting!)

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