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German Numbers

German numbers have one distinctive quirk that surprises learners immediately: two-digit numbers are said with the units before the tens, reversed from English.

"One-and-twenty" instead of "twenty-one"

21 in German is einundzwanzig — literally ein (one) + und (and) + zwanzig (twenty), or "one-and-twenty." This reversed order applies consistently across German's two-digit numbers, so once the pattern clicks, it applies predictably rather than needing memorization number by number.

Larger numbers build on the same logic

Hundreds and thousands attach in a fairly regular, additive way once the units-before-tens quirk is internalized — the underlying system is consistent, just organized differently than English's tens-before-units order.

This page describes German itself, not a Tarc course — German is on the roadmap but hasn't shipped yet. Get in touch if you'd like to be notified when it's available.

Frequently asked questions

Why is 21 said as 'one-and-twenty' in German?

German number order reverses English's pattern for two-digit numbers — einundzwanzig literally means "one and twenty," with the unit spoken before the tens, consistently across all two-digit numbers.

Does the units-before-tens rule apply to every German number?

It applies consistently to two-digit numbers; larger numbers (hundreds, thousands) build additively on top of that same underlying pattern.

Is German number word order unique among European languages?

Not entirely unique, but it is a distinctive difference from English and many other languages that say tens before units, and it's one of the first things learners notice.

Will number vocabulary be part of the future German course?

Yes, as core vocabulary content, matching the approach used in Tarc's existing courses.

Get notified when German launches on Tarc →

See also: German Vocabulary · German Grammar · Learn German