Counting to 100

1. The Foundation: Numbers 0 to 12

The first step is to learn the numbers from 0 to 12. These numbers have unique names and don't follow a specific pattern, so they need to be memorized. They are the essential building blocks for all other numbers.

To start, let's hear how they are pronounced.

Now, let's review these numbers in writing. The following reading provides a clear list and some helpful pronunciation guides.

Here is the list for your reference:

• 0 - null
• 1 - eins
• 2 - zwei (Remember the 'ts' sound for 'z')
• 3 - drei
• 4 - vier
• 5 - fünf
• 6 - sechs
• 7 - sieben
• 8 - acht
• 9 - neun
• 10 - zehn
• 11 - elf
• 12 - zwölf

2. The Teens: Numbers 13 to 19

Once you know the numbers up to 12, the teens (from 13 to 19) become much easier because they follow a clear pattern. You simply combine the single-digit number with the word for ten, zehn.

Pattern: [Unit Number] + zehn

For example:

• drei (3) + zehn (10) = dreizehn (13)
• vier (4) + zehn (10) = vierzehn (14)

There are two small exceptions to watch out for:

• sechzehn (16): The 's' from sechs is dropped.
• siebzehn (17): The '-en' from sieben is dropped.

This is done to make the pronunciation smoother. The video and reading below explain this pattern and its exceptions.

For a written explanation of this same pattern, the article you looked at earlier is very helpful.

3. The Big Step: Numbers 20 to 100

This is where German numbers become quite different from English. Let's first learn the tens (20, 30, 40, etc.).

The Tens (20, 30, 40...)

Most tens are formed by taking the base number (e.g., vier for 40) and adding the suffix -zig.

• vier + zig = vierzig (40)
• fünf + zig = fünfzig (50)

Key exceptions to note:

• 20 is zwanzig
• 30 is dreißig (It ends in -ßig, not -zig. The "ß" is pronounced like a sharp 's'.)
• 60 is sechzig (The 's' from sechs is dropped.)
• 70 is siebzig (The 'en' from sieben is dropped.)
• 100 is (ein)hundert

The "Backward" Rule for Numbers 21-99

This is the most important rule to learn. For numbers between the tens (like 21, 43, 78), German says the unit number first, then "and" (und), then the ten.

Pattern: [Unit Number] + und + [Ten]

Let's take 21 as an example:

• It's literally "one and twenty".
• ein (one) + und (and) + zwanzig (twenty) = einundzwanzig
  • Note: When eins is used in a compound number like this, the final 's' is dropped, so it becomes ein.

Another example, 37:

• "seven and thirty"
• sieben + und + dreißig = siebenunddreißig

All these compound numbers are written as one single word. This might feel strange at first, but with practice, it becomes automatic. The next video explains this rule using real-life examples.

To see this system broken down step-by-step, the following reading is very useful.

Summary and Reference

You have now learned all the rules needed to count to 100! Here is a handy chart that lists all the numbers. You can use it as a reference to practice and review.

Conclusion

Ausgezeichnet! (Excellent!) You've covered a lot of ground today. Understanding and using numbers is a massive step towards fluency.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Numbers 0-12 are unique and must be memorized.
• Numbers 13-19 follow the pattern: Unit + zehn.
• The tens (20, 30, 40...) mostly end in -zig.
• Numbers 21-99 follow the "backward" rule: Unit + und + Ten (e.g., einundzwanzig).

In our next lesson, we will learn how to ask and answer basic personal information questions using words like Wer? (Who?), Wie? (How?), Woher? (From where?), and Wo? (Where?). You'll see how knowing numbers is immediately useful, for example, when someone asks "Wie alt sind Sie?" (How old are you?).

Bis bald! (See you soon!)