Counting and Pricing in Euros

1. Counting from 0 to 20

Let's begin with the basics. Like in many languages, the first few numbers in German need to be memorized individually before a clear pattern emerges.

The video below is an excellent starting point. The hosts pronounce each number clearly, allowing you to get the sounds right from the beginning.

To reinforce what you've just heard and to have a written reference, please read the following sections from the Busuu article on German numbers. Don't forget null (zero)!

Key Points for Numbers 0-20:

• 0-12 are unique: null, eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn, elf, zwölf.
• 13-19 follow a pattern: digit + zehn (ten).
  • drei (3) + zehn (10) = dreizehn (13)
  • vier (4) + zehn (10) = vierzehn (14)
• Slight irregularities:
  • sechzehn (16) drops the -s from sechs.
  • siebzehn (17) drops the -en from sieben.

2. Counting from 21 to 100

Now for the next step. Counting from 21 to 99 in German involves a simple but important structural change compared to English.

The Rule: Ones + und + Tens

In English, we say "twenty-one" (tens then ones). In German, this order is reversed: einundzwanzig, which literally translates to "one-and-twenty". This pattern applies to all numbers up to 99.

Let's see this in action. The next part of the "Super Easy German" video explains this "backwards" counting and introduces the tens (20, 30, 40, etc.).

Again, let's look at a written summary to solidify this rule.

Key Points for Numbers 21-100:

• The Tens: Most end in -zig (vierzig, fünfzig). Exceptions:
  • zwanzig (20)
  • dreißig (30) - uses ß and ends in -ßig
  • sechzig (60) - drops the -s
  • siebzig (70) - drops the -en
• The und structure: einundzwanzig (21), fünfunddreißig (35), achtundneunzig (98).
• One Hundred: einhundert or simply hundert.

For quick reference, here is a helpful chart summarizing the numbers.

Practice Exercise A: Write the Numbers

Let's practice. Write the following numbers as German words.

1. 27
2. 42
3. 15
4. 61
5. 98

3. Stating Prices in Euros

Now that you can count, let's apply this skill to money. In Germany, the currency is the Euro (der Euro).

First, you need to know how to ask for the price. The two most common phrases are:

• Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)
• Was kostet das? (What does that cost?)

The following video will teach you how to ask for and state prices, and it includes a great interactive exercise.

A Crucial Detail: Commas and Decimal Points

There is a very important difference in how prices are written in German compared to English. Germany, along with many other countries, swaps the function of the comma and the decimal point.

• In English, you write: €29**.**50
• In German, you write: 29**,**50 €

When speaking, the comma is often read as Komma or simply implied. For example, 29,50 € is said as neunundzwanzig Euro fünfzig.

To read a bit more about this convention, which is important in any context involving numbers, including your field of economics, please review this short resource.

Practice Exercise B: What's the Price?

Write the following prices in German words, as you would say them.

Example:

• 1,99 € → ein Euro neunundneunzig

1. 2,50 €
2. 15,29 €
3. 0,99 € (for cents, you can just say the number followed by "Cent")
4. 35,75 €
5. 8,40 €

Conclusion

Great job! You have now mastered a very practical and essential German skill. Being able to handle numbers is the key to many everyday interactions, from shopping to making appointments.

Key Takeaways:

• German numbers 0-12 are unique; 13-19 follow the digit + zehn pattern.
• For numbers 21-99, German uses the structure: ones + und + tens (e.g., dreiundvierzig for 43).
• To ask for a price, you can use Wie viel kostet...? or Was kostet...?
• In written German, a comma is used as a decimal separator for prices (e.g., 10,99 €). The Euro symbol (€) typically follows the number.
• To state a price, you say the Euro amount, then the Cent amount (e.g., zehn Euro neunundneunzig).

Preview of the Next Lesson:
Now that you can use cardinal numbers (one, two, three), we will build on this knowledge in our next lesson. We will learn how to form and use ordinal numbers (erste, zweite, dritte... or first, second, third...). This will open the door to talking about dates, which is our next step in mastering practical German.