German Ordinal and Cardinal Numbers

On this page, we will cover everything you need to know to master numbers in German.

Cardinal Numbers in German

Cardinal numbers in German are fundamental for learning the language. They are used for counting and expressing quantities.

Table of the First 100 Numbers

As an introduction, take a look at this table. The detailed explanation of how any number is formed in German is explained in the cardinal numbers lesson referenced below.

Number	In German	Formation
1-10	eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn	Basic numbers
11-19	elf, zwölf, dreizehn, vierzehn, fünfzehn, sechzehn, siebzehn, achtzehn, neunzehn	Special numbers or number + zehn
20, 30, ..., 90	zwanzig, dreißig, vierzig, fünfzig, sechzig, siebzig, achtzig, neunzig	Base number + zig (except dreißig)
21-99	einundzwanzig, zweiundzwanzig, ..., neunundneunzig	Unit + und + ten
100	hundert	Special number

Examples:

25: fünfundzwanzig (five and twenty)
38: achtunddreißig (eight and thirty)
52: zweiundfünfzig (two and fifty)
99: neunundneunzig (nine and ninety)

Note: In German, units are said before tens, joined by "und" (and).

Declension of Cardinal Numbers

In German, cardinal numbers generally do not decline, with some important exceptions:

The number "ein" (one) declines like the indefinite article.
Numbers from 2 to 19 can take the "-e" ending in certain contexts.

For a more detailed explanation of the declension and use of cardinal numbers in German, please refer to our complete lesson on cardinal numbers.

Ordinal Numbers in German

Ordinal numbers in German are used to indicate order or position in a sequence. They are essential for expressing dates, rankings, and sequences in general.

Declension of Ordinal Numbers

Unlike cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers in German always decline. Some key points:

They are generally formed by adding the suffix "-te" (from 1st to 19th) or "-ste" (from 20th onwards) to the cardinal number.
They decline like adjectives, following the German adjective declension rules.

For a more detailed explanation of the formation and declension of ordinal numbers in German, including examples and exceptions, please refer to our complete lesson on ordinal numbers.

Decimal Numbers in German

Decimal numbers in German are used very similarly to how they are used in Spanish.

In German, the comma (",") is used as the decimal separator instead of the period ("."), and decimal numbers are read sequentially.

Notation and Pronunciation of Decimal Numbers

In German, decimal numbers are written using a comma to separate the integer part from the decimal part.

For example, the number 3.14 in Spanish is written as 3,14, just like in German. The pronunciation of decimal numbers is done by reading each digit of the decimal part individually.

Examples of Decimal Numbers in German

Number	Written in German
1,1	eins Komma eins
2,34	zwei Komma drei vier
5,678	fünf Komma sechs sieben acht
10,05	zehn Komma null fünf
0,99	null Komma neun neun

A comparative example illustrating the difference with other languages and countries would be this:

Number	German	Spanish	English (US)
1,234.56	1.234,56	1.234,56	1,234.56
3.1415	3,1415	3,1415	3.1415
1000	1.000	1.000	1,000
1000000	1.000.000	1.000.000	1,000,000

Peculiarities and Uses of Decimal Numbers

Decimal numbers in German are used in a variety of contexts, such as in measurements, prices, and statistics.

It is important to remember the difference in notation when reading texts or writing decimal numbers in German.

Fractions in German

Fractions in German are used quite similarly to how they are used in Spanish, but with some differences in how they are expressed and written.

In this section, we will explain how fractions are formed in German and provide examples for better understanding.

Formation of Fractions

In German, fractions are formed by combining the numerator (the top part of the fraction) and the denominator (the bottom part of the fraction).

The numerator is expressed as a cardinal number, while the denominator is expressed as an ordinal number in its singular form.

For example:

1/2 (one half) is said "ein Halb".
1/3 (one third) is said "ein Drittel".
1/4 (one quarter) is said "ein Viertel".

When the numerator is greater than one, the cardinal number is used followed by the plural denominator:

2/3 (two thirds) is said "zwei Drittel".
3/4 (three quarters) is said "drei Viertel".

Examples of Common Fractions in German

Fraction	Written in German
1/2	ein Halb
1/3	ein Drittel
1/4	ein Viertel
1/5	ein Fünftel
1/6	ein Sechstel
1/7	ein Siebtel
1/8	ein Achtel
1/9	ein Neuntel
1/10	ein Zehntel
2/3	zwei Drittel
3/4	drei Viertel
5/8	fünf Achtel

Peculiarities of Fractions in German

Singular and Plural Denominator: For numerators greater than one, the denominator is placed in the plural. Example: 3/5 is "drei Fünftel".
Improper and Mixed Fractions: Improper fractions (where the numerator is greater than the denominator) are expressed in the same way as simple fractions. Mixed fractions (which combine a whole number and a fraction) are expressed first with the whole number followed by the fraction. Example: 1 1/2 is "ein und ein Halb".