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Zahlen, Daten und Preise
Numbers are essential for daily life in Germany! You need them for shopping, telling time, giving your phone number, talking about dates, and much more. German numbers have some unique patterns (like 21 = einundzwanzig, literally 'one-and-twenty'), but once you learn the pattern, they're easy! This topic covers cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3), ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd), dates, and how to talk about prices.
CARDINAL NUMBERS (0-100+): - 0-12: null, eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn, elf, zwölf - 13-19: Add '-zehn': dreizehn, vierzehn, fünfzehn, sechzehn, siebzehn, achtzehn, neunzehn - 20-90: zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig, fünfzig, sechzig, siebzig, achtzig, neunzig - 21-99: Units BEFORE tens: einundzwanzig (21), zweiunddreißig (32) - 100: (ein)hundert, 1000: (ein)tausend
ORDINAL NUMBERS (1st, 2nd, 3rd): - 1st-19th: Add '-te': erste, zweite, dritte, vierte... neunte, zehnte - 20th+: Add '-ste': zwanzigste, einundzwanzigste - Use with articles: der erste Tag (the first day)
DATES: - Format: Day + Month: den ersten Januar, den zweiten Februar - Ask: Welches Datum ist heute? (What's the date today?) - Answer: Heute ist der erste Januar. (Today is January 1st.)
PRICES: - Was kostet das? (How much does that cost?) - Das kostet 10 Euro. (That costs 10 euros.) - Euro und Cent: 5,50 € = fünf Euro fünfzig
These are the foundation - memorize them! They're irregular and must be learned by heart.
Examples:
German says units BEFORE tens, connected with 'und'. Think: 'one-and-twenty' instead of 'twenty-one'.
Examples:
The tens are fairly regular, with a few spelling changes.
Examples:
100 and 1000 are straightforward, can be combined with other numbers.
Examples:
Add '-te' (1st-19th) or '-ste' (20th+). Use with definite articles and adjective endings!
Examples:
Format: 'der' + ordinal number + month. Use ordinal numbers with dates!
Examples:
Talk about costs using 'kosten' (to cost). Euro is singular and plural the same!
Examples:
🇩🇪 Ich bin dreißig Jahre alt.
🇬🇧 I am 30 years old.
💡 Using cardinal number for age
Context: Stating your age
🇩🇪 Meine Telefonnummer ist null-eins-sieben-sechs...
🇬🇧 My phone number is 0-1-7-6...
💡 Say each digit individually for phone numbers
Context: Giving contact information
🇩🇪 Das kostet zwanzig Euro fünfzig.
🇬🇧 That costs 20 euros 50 (cents).
💡 Price with euros and cents (20,50 €)
Context: Shopping/asking prices
🇩🇪 Heute ist der fünfzehnte Januar.
🇬🇧 Today is January 15th.
💡 Date with ordinal number: der + fünfzehnte
Context: Stating today's date
🇩🇪 Ich habe am dritten März Geburtstag.
🇬🇧 My birthday is on March 3rd.
💡 Date with 'am' (on) + ordinal: am dritten
Context: Talking about birthdays
🇩🇪 Wir wohnen in der zweiten Straße links.
🇬🇧 We live on the second street on the left.
💡 Ordinal with adjective ending: der zweiten Straße (Dativ)
Context: Giving directions
🇩🇪 Das Jahr hat dreihundertsechzig fünf Tage.
🇬🇧 The year has 365 days.
💡 Large number: dreihundertfünfundsechzig (300 + 60 + 5)
Context: General knowledge
🇩🇪 Die Wohnung kostet tausend Euro pro Monat.
🇬🇧 The apartment costs 1000 euros per month.
💡 Large price with 'pro Monat' (per month)
Context: Discussing rent
🇩🇪 Ich brauche zwei Kilo Tomaten.
🇬🇧 I need 2 kilos of tomatoes.
💡 Quantity for shopping: zwei Kilo
Context: At the market/grocery store
21 = einUNDzwanzig (one-AND-twenty). Think: Germans count 'backwards' - the smaller number comes first! Always: units + und + tens.
16 = sech**s**zehn (sechs drops an 's'). 17 = sieb**en**zehn (sieben drops 'en'). Remember: they get shorter!
30 is the odd one: drei**ßig** (with ß), not *dreizg. All other tens end in -zig. Dreißig is special!
1-19: add -te (erste, zweite, dritte... neunzehnte). 20+: add -ste (zwanzigste, dreißigste). Easy split!
Today is THE FIRST January: 'Heute ist DER ERSTE Januar.' Always use der + ordinal number for dates!
Saying tens before units (English order)
'Zwanzigeins' is wrong for 21. Correct: 'einundzwanzig' (one-and-twenty). Units FIRST, then und, then tens!
Forgetting 'und' between units and tens
'Fünfzwanzig' is wrong for 25. Correct: 'fünfundzwanzig' (five-AND-twenty). The UND is essential!
Using 'dreizg' for 30
'Dreizg' doesn't exist! Correct: 'dreißig' (with ß). 30 is the exception - all others end in -zig.
Using cardinal numbers for dates
'Heute ist der fünf Januar' is wrong. Use ORDINAL: 'der fünfte Januar' (the fifth of January).
Saying 'Euros' with plural -s
'Das kostet zehn Euros' is wrong. Euro doesn't add -s: 'zehn Euro' (10 euro/euros). Singular and plural are the same!
Using period instead of comma for decimals
5.50 € is wrong format. In German: 5,50 € (comma for decimal). Opposite of English!
Ich bin vierundzwanzig Jahre alt.
I am 24 years old.
📚 vierundzwanzig (four-and-twenty) + Jahre alt
Das Buch kostet neunzehn Euro neunzig.
The book costs 19 euros 90 (19,90 €).
📚 kostet + neunzehn Euro neunzig
Mein Geburtstag ist am siebten Juni.
My birthday is on June 7th.
📚 am + siebten Juni (ordinal number for date)
Heute ist der einunddreißigste Dezember.
Today is December 31st.
📚 der + einunddreißigste (31st ordinal) + Dezember
Ich möchte drei Brötchen, bitte.
I'd like three bread rolls, please.
📚 drei (cardinal) + Brötchen (plural)
Wir treffen uns um halb acht.
We're meeting at 7:30.
📚 um + halb acht (half to eight = 7:30)
Das ist mein erstes Mal in Deutschland.
This is my first time in Germany.
📚 erstes (ordinal with ending: neuter Nominativ) + Mal