Numbers in German
Basic numbers in German are simple for English speakers to learn and remember because most of them sound similar to English numbers. While their pronunciation can be tricky at first, learning them is also a good way to start practicing your German letter sounds.
The first ten are the most basic and the most important, since they will be repeated in all other numbers. Memorizing them in order is straightforward, and you can find an approximate English pronunciation in parentheses after the spelling of each number in German:
1 eins (“eynz” – German “s” sounds like English “z.”)
2 zwei (“tzwy” – German “z” sounds like “tz.”)
3 drei (“dry” – German “r” is guttural, spoken in the back of the throat.)
4 vier (“fear” – German “v” is softer, more like an English “f.”)
5 fünf (“fuunf” – To English ears, “ü” often sounds like a cross between “oo” and “uh” in English.)
6 sechs (“zex” – German “s” sounds like English “z.”)
7 sieben (“zeeben” – German “s” sounds like English “z.”)
8 acht (“oct” – “Ch” in German is spoken in the back of the throat, closer to a soft “k.”)
9 neun (“noin” – “Eu” is a dipthong, or double vowel sound like English “oi.”)
10 zehn (“tzehn” – German “e” is always pronounced like English “eh.”)
The next 10 numbers in German follow the same pattern as English numbers with the “teens” all adding “zehn,” or 10, after the single digit.
11 elf (“elf” – Almost identical in English.)
12 zwölf (“tzwoolf” – To English ears, “ö” sounds almost like “oo.”)
13 dreizehn (“dry-tzehn” – For 13-19, you can add “tzehn” to the single digit’s pronunciation.)
14 vierzehn (“fear-tzehn”)
15 fünfzehn (“fuunf-tzehn”)
16 sechzehn (“zex-tzehn”)
17 siebzehn (“zeeb-tzehn”)
18 achtzehn (“oct-tzehn”)
19 neunzehn (“noin-tzehn”)
20 zwanzig (“twan-tzish” – German “g” can sound similar to a cross between English “sh” and “ch.”)
Saying the numbers in German can be easy, but to really master them, use them in real world contexts. Try memorizing phone numbers in German or even balancing your checkbook in German. Using the numbers instead of simply repeating them will help you internalize them and not have to translate to yourself each time you hear or speak them.