Numbers 20–100
| Number | German |
|---|---|
| 20 | zwanzig |
| 21 | einundzwanzig |
| 22 | zweiundzwanzig |
| 23 | dreiundzwanzig |
| 30 | dreißig |
| 40 | vierzig |
| 50 | fünfzig |
| 60 | sechzig |
| 70 | siebzig |
| 80 | achtzig |
| 90 | neunzig |
| 100 | hundert |
For 21–99: units + und + tens (all one word). 23 = dreiundzwanzig ("three-and-twenty") This is the opposite order to English!
Numbers 100–1000
| Number | German |
|---|---|
| 100 | (ein)hundert |
| 101 | hunderteins |
| 115 | hundertfünfzehn |
| 200 | zweihundert |
| 250 | zweihundertfünfzig |
| 500 | fünfhundert |
| 999 | neunhundertneunundneunzig |
| 1 000 | (ein)tausend |
For hundreds: number + hundert (one word, no spaces). Then add tens and units as before.
347 = dreihundertsiebenundvierzig
Thousands and Millions
| Number | German |
|---|---|
| 1 000 | tausend |
| 2 000 | zweitausend |
| 10 000 | zehntausend |
| 100 000 | hunderttausend |
| 1 000 000 | eine Million |
| 2 000 000 | zwei Millionen |
Million is a noun and takes a capital letter. It is always followed by a space: 3 500 000 = drei Millionen fünfhunderttausend
Practical Examples
| Number | German |
|---|---|
| 13 | dreizehn |
| 31 | einunddreißig |
| 45 | fünfundvierzig |
| 100 | hundert |
| 1 996 | neunzehnhundertsechsundneunzig |
| 2 025 | zweitausendfünfundzwanzig |
Real world: phone numbers and prices
German speakers usually read phone numbers in pairs: 0151 234 567 → null eins fünf eins, zwei drei vier, fünf sechs sieben. Prices: Das kostet drei Euro neunundneunzig. (That costs €3.99.)
Real world: population and statistics
German news and geography use large numbers constantly: „Berlin hat drei Millionen fünfhunderttausend Einwohner." „Das kostet zweihundertfünfzigtausend Euro." — knowing how to say and recognise large numbers lets you follow German news and documentaries.
Real world: years in history and biography
German historical dates use the full number: „Das Brandenburger Tor wurde siebzehnhundertneunzig fertiggestellt." (1790) „Er wurde neunzehnhundertzweiunddreißig geboren." (1932) — German years up to 1999 are read as hundreds, just like in English; from 2000 onward: zweitausend.
German writes numbers as one single word up to the millions: dreihundertsiebzehn (317), zweitausendfünfundzwanzig (2025). Only Million/Milliarde are written as separate nouns. Writing them as one word is different from English — practise by writing out prices and years you know.
Practice Problems
Write the German word for 47.
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How do you say 235 in German?
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What is unusual about the German number order for 21–99 compared to English?