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German numbers from 0 to a million

Why 21 is einundzwanzig, how not to mix up 37 and 73, and why 1987 is one word. Tables with audio, an “any number in words” converter and exercises to understand numbers by ear.

  • Any number in words
  • Audio
  • Units before tens
  • 3 exercises
  • No sign-up
To the tablesPractice

Any number in words

Type a number in digits to see how it’s written and hear how it sounds. Up to 999,999,999.

Type a number and its spelling will appear here.

Numbers from 0 to 20

The basis of everything. Note that sechzehn and siebzehn are shorter than sechs and sieben.

Speed

The tens

Almost all end in -zig; only 30 is dreißig, with ß.

How numbers are built

Units first, then und and the tens: 21 is “one-and-twenty”. Tap to listen.

Hundreds, thousands, millions

Up to a million a number is one word. Million is separate and capitalised.

Rules worth knowing

German numbers are logical, but one habit twists everyone’s brain — the units come before the tens.

  • 21 = einundzwanzig

    From 21 to 99 the unit comes first, then und and the ten: einundzwanzig, siebenunddreißig. Written as one word.

  • 37 ≠ 73

    Siebenunddreißig (37) and dreiundsiebzig (73) are easy to mix up by ear: you hear the unit first, not the ten. When writing a number down, fill the digits right to left.

  • 1 = eins / ein

    On its own or at the end it’s eins (hunderteins); inside a number it’s ein (einundzwanzig, eintausend). Before a noun: ein Euro, eine Stunde.

  • 16 = sechzehn, 17 = siebzehn

    Sechzehn and sechzig drop the s; siebzehn and siebzig drop the en. The rest are regular: vierzehn, vierzig.

  • 30 = dreißig

    Only 30 ends in -ßig; the other tens end in -zig: zwanzig, vierzig, fünfzig.

  • 1987 = neunzehnhundertsiebenundachtzig

    Years before 2000 are read in hundreds: neunzehnhundert… The plain number 1987 is tausendneunhundertsiebenundachtzig. Everything below a million is one word.

  • 2 = zwo

    On the phone and at stations people often say zwo instead of zwei so it isn’t confused with drei.

Practice: test yourself

10 numbers per round. Start with 0–20, then move to bigger ones — numbers are hardest to catch by ear.

Choose an exercise

How to understand numbers by ear

  • Learn 0–20 and the tens by heart — everything else is built from them.
  • When writing a number you hear, write the unit first and the ten in front of it: “drei-und-vierzig” → _3 → 43.
  • Read prices, house numbers and years aloud — a few every day.
  • A few rounds of “Hear the number” every day: we recognise numbers more slowly by ear than by eye.

FAQ

Didn’t find your answer? Send us a request — we’ll tell you everything.

Why do German numbers put the units before the tens?

It’s historical, like old English “four-and-twenty”. So 21 is einundzwanzig, “one-and-twenty”. Hundreds and thousands stay in the usual place: hunderteinundzwanzig (121).

Are big German numbers written as one word?

Everything up to 999,999 is one word: zweitausenddreihundertfünfundvierzig. Million and Milliarde are separate, capitalised words: zwei Millionen dreihunderttausend.

How do you say a year in German?

Years before 2000 are said in hundreds: 1987 — neunzehnhundertsiebenundachtzig. From 2000 they’re plain numbers: 2026 — zweitausendsechsundzwanzig.

What is zwo?

A spoken variant of zwei used on the phone, at stations or in the army so that zwei isn’t misheard as drei. In writing it’s always zwei.

What’s next

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