Numbers and Telling Time in German (Zahlen und Uhrzeit) – A1.1

Q: How do you read prices with Euros and Cents in German?

Read the Euro amount first followed by 'Euro', then state the Cent value directly without necessarily adding the word 'Cent' (e.g., €2.50 is read as 'zwei Euro fünfzig').

Q: What is the difference between official and unofficial time in German?

Official time uses a 24-hour format (e.g., 14:30 is 'vierzehn Uhr dreißig') and is used in broadcasting or schedules. Unofficial time uses a 12-hour format with words like 'vor', 'nach', and 'halb' for daily conversations (e.g., 14:30 is 'halb drei').

Q: What do 'vor' and 'nach' mean when telling time informally?

'nach' means 'after/past' (minutes past the hour), whereas 'vor' means 'before/to' (minutes remaining until the next hour).

Author: Anja

Published: Jan 15, 2026

Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Reading time: 20 mins

Welcome to an essential lesson on your German learning path. Numbers and telling time are foundational skills needed daily whether you are shopping, navigating train stations, or scheduling meetings with friends. Without them, everyday communication can be challenging. You can also explore our Levels Hub or practice with our Learn & Play section.

In this guide, we designed a complete interactive learning experience where you will master German numbers from 1 to 1 Billion step-by-step. Additionally, you will learn how to read prices and express time using both official and informal methods, supported by interactive audio playback. For more grammar foundations, check out our guides on Key Vocabulary, Essential Verbs, and Possessive Pronouns.

All numbers and time expressions support high-definition audio. Please open this page in Google Chrome browser to ensure full interactive audio playback functionality.

Quick Index Table

1. Numbers (Zahlen) 2. Prices (Preise) 3. Telling Time (Uhrzeit)

1. Numbers (Die Zahlen)

German numbers follow a unique rule starting from 21: units are stated first, followed by "und" (and), and then the tens, written as a single word. You can also explore our Numbers Interactive Game for extra practice.

Numbers from 1 to 50

1 - einsone

2 - zweitwo

3 - dreithree

4 - vierfour

5 - fünffive

6 - sechssix

7 - siebenseven

8 - achteight

9 - neunnine

10 - zehnten

11 - elfeleven

12 - zwölftwelve

13 - dreizehnthirteen

14 - vierzehnfourteen

15 - fünfzehnfifteen

16 - sechzehnsixteen

17 - siebzehnseventeen

18 - achtzehneighteen

19 - neunzehnnineteen

20 - zwanzigtwenty

21 - einundzwanzigtwenty-one

22 - zweiundzwanzigtwenty-two

23 - dreiundzwanzigtwenty-three

24 - vierundzwanzigtwenty-four

25 - fünfundzwanzigtwenty-five

26 - sechsundzwanzigtwenty-six

27 - siebenundzwanzigtwenty-seven

28 - achtundzwanzigtwenty-eight

29 - neunundzwanzigtwenty-nine

30 - dreißigthirty

31 - einunddreißigthirty-one

32 - zweiunddreißigthirty-two

33 - dreiunddreißigthirty-three

34 - vierunddreißigthirty-four

35 - fünfunddreißigthirty-five

36 - sechsunddreißigthirty-six

37 - siebenunddreißigthirty-seven

38 - achtunddreißigthirty-eight

39 - neununddreißigthirty-nine

40 - vierzigforty

41 - einundvierzigforty-one

42 - zweiundvierzigforty-two

43 - dreiundvierzigforty-three

44 - vierundvierzigforty-four

45 - fünfundvierzigforty-five

46 - sechsundvierzigforty-six

47 - siebenundvierzigforty-seven

48 - achtundvierzigforty-eight

49 - neunundvierzigforty-nine

50 - fünfzigfifty

Tens and Larger Numbers

60 - sechzigsixty

70 - siebzigseventy

80 - achtzigeighty

90 - neunzigninety

100 - hundertone hundred

129 - hundertneunundzwanzigone hundred twenty-nine

1,000 - tausendone thousand

1,268 - tausendzweihundert...one thousand two hundred sixty-eight

10,000 - zehntausendten thousand

16,892 - sechzehntausend...sixteen thousand eight hundred ninety-two

100,000 - hunderttausendone hundred thousand

165,387 - hundertfünfundsechzig...one hundred sixty-five thousand three hundred eighty-seven

1,000,000 - eine Millionone million

10,000,000 - zehn Millionenten million

100,000,000 - hundert Millionenone hundred million

1,000,000,000 - eine Milliardeone billion

2. Reading Prices (Die Preise)

When shopping or reading prices in Germany, state the Euro amount first, add the word "Euro", and then state the Cent value directly (the word 'Cent' is usually omitted in conversation). Practice shopping terms in our interactive game sessions.

Price	German Pronunciation (Listen)
2.50 €	zwei Euro fünfzig
19.99 €	neunzehn Euro neunundneunzig
100.25 €	hundert Euro fünfundzwanzig
0.80 €	achtzig Cent

3. Telling Time (Die Uhrzeit)

German uses two distinct methods for telling time: the Official system (offiziell) and the Unofficial/Conversational system (inoffiziell). You can also practice scheduling via our telling time game.

Method 1: Official Time (Offizielle Uhrzeit)

Used in official appointments, news, and travel timetables. It follows a 24-hour clock format (Hour + Uhr + Minutes):

Digital Time	Official Pronunciation (Listen)
08:15	acht Uhr fünfzehn
14:30	vierzehn Uhr dreißig
20:45	zwanzig Uhr fünfundvierzig
09:05	neun Uhr fünf

Method 2: Unofficial / Conversational Time (Inoffizielle Uhrzeit)

Used in everyday casual conversation. It follows a 12-hour clock format using terms like 'vor' (before/to) and 'nach' (after/past):

Digital Time	Conversational Pronunciation (Listen)
08:15	Viertel nach acht
14:30	halb drei
20:45	Viertel vor neun
09:05	fünf nach neun
09:55	fünf vor zehn
14:20	zwanzig nach zwei

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do you pronounce compound numbers like 21 in German?

In German, compound numbers state the units first, followed by und (and), and then the tens, written as a single word without spaces. Example: 21 is read as einundzwanzig.

How do you read prices with Euros and Cents in German?

Read the Euro amount first followed by Euro, then state the Cent value directly without necessarily adding the word 'Cent'. Example: €2.50 is read as zwei Euro fünfzig.

What is the difference between official and unofficial time in German?

Official time (Offiziell) uses a 24-hour format and is used in timetables or news (e.g., 14:30 is vierzehn Uhr dreißig). Unofficial time (Inoffiziell) uses a 12-hour format with words like vor, nach, and halb in casual conversations (e.g., 14:30 is halb drei).

What do 'vor' and 'nach' mean when telling time informally?

nach means 'after/past' (minutes past the hour), whereas vor means 'before/to' (minutes remaining until the next hour).