German Numbers and Time: Listen, Read and Practise
Understanding German numbers is essential for prices, phone numbers, addresses, appointments and timetables. The tricky part is that German says the units before the tens: 47 is “siebenundvierzig” – literally “seven-and-forty”.
Use this trainer to listen to numbers and type them, read numbers written in words, write numbers in German yourself, and practise telling the time with an interactive clock.
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How German Numbers Work
| Number | German | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 0–12 | null, eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn, elf, zwölf | Learn these by heart |
| 13–19 | dreizehn, vierzehn, … sechzehn, siebzehn … | sechzehn and siebzehn drop letters |
| 20–90 | zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig, fünfzig, sechzig, siebzig, achtzig, neunzig | dreißig is written with ß |
| 21, 47, 98 | einundzwanzig, siebenundvierzig, achtundneunzig | Units + und + tens, written as one word |
| 100, 365 | hundert / einhundert, dreihundertfünfundsechzig | Still one word |
| 1,000 / 2,026 | tausend / eintausend, zweitausendsechsundzwanzig | Years are usually read as neunzehnhundert… before 2000 |
Note: Germans write 1.000 for one thousand and 2,50 € for two euros fifty – the opposite of English.
Telling the Time in German
| Time | Informal (spoken) | Formal |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | drei Uhr | 3:00 / 15:00 Uhr |
| 3:15 | Viertel nach drei | drei Uhr fünfzehn |
| 3:30 | halb vier | drei Uhr dreißig |
| 3:45 | Viertel vor vier | drei Uhr fünfundvierzig |
| 3:25 | fünf vor halb vier | drei Uhr fünfundzwanzig |
Be careful: “halb vier” means 3:30, not 4:30. Timetables, train stations and official appointments always use the 24-hour format, e.g. 15:30 Uhr.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Germans say the numbers backwards?
From 21 to 99, German puts the unit first: einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty). It feels strange at first, but listening practice makes it automatic.
How do I say a phone number?
Phone numbers are usually read in single digits or pairs: 0176 … = null eins sieben sechs … Practise with the listening mode above.
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