Numbers & Time (Leaving Cert German): Revision Notes
Numbers & Time
Learning to express numbers and time accurately is essential for everyday communication in German. German uses some different patterns from English, particularly with compound numbers and time expressions.
Numbers (Zahlen)
Basic numbers 1-20
German number formation follows specific patterns that become predictable once you learn the basics.
| Number | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | eins | one |
| 2 | zwei | two |
| 3 | drei | three |
| 4 | vier | four |
| 5 | fünf | five |
| 6 | sechs | six |
| 7 | sieben | seven |
| 8 | acht | eight |
| 9 | neun | nine |
| 10 | zehn | ten |
| Number | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | elf | eleven |
| 12 | zwölf | twelve |
| 13 | dreizehn | thirteen |
| 14 | vierzehn | fourteen |
| 15 | fünfzehn | fifteen |
| 16 | sechzehn | sixteen |
| 17 | siebzehn | seventeen |
| 18 | achtzehn | eighteen |
| 19 | neunzehn | nineteen |
| 20 | zwanzig | twenty |
Notice how numbers 13-19 follow the pattern of adding -zehn to the basic number (drei + zehn = dreizehn). However, watch out for irregular forms like sechzehn (not sechszehn) and siebzehn (not siebenzehn).
Tens and larger numbers
The tens follow a consistent pattern, making them straightforward to remember.
| Number | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | zehn | ten |
| 20 | zwanzig | twenty |
| 30 | dreißig | thirty |
| 40 | vierzig | forty |
| 50 | fünfzig | fifty |
| 60 | sechzig | sixty |
| 70 | siebzig | seventy |
| 80 | achtzig | eighty |
| 90 | neunzig | ninety |
| 100 | einhundert | one hundred |
Example sentences:
- Ich habe zwanzig Euro. (I have twenty euros.)
- Das Buch kostet fünfzig Euro. (The book costs fifty euros.)
Compound numbers (21-99)
German creates compound numbers by putting the units digit first, then "und" (and), then the tens digit. This is the reverse of English.
Critical Pattern: units digit + und + tens digit
This is completely opposite to English! Where we say "twenty-four," German says "four-and-twenty" (vierundzwanzig).
Worked Examples:
- 24: vier + und + zwanzig = vierundzwanzig (four-and-twenty)
- 33: drei + und + dreißig = dreiunddreißig (three-and-thirty)
- 61: ein + und + sechzig = einundsechzig (one-and-sixty)
Important Exception: When "eins" (one) appears as the units digit in compound numbers, you drop the final "s", so it becomes "ein".
- ✓ einundzwanzig (21)
- ✗ einsundzwanzig
Example sentences:
- Meine Oma ist siebenundachtzig Jahre alt. (My grandmother is eighty-seven years old.)
- Der Bus kommt in dreiunddreißig Minuten. (The bus comes in thirty-three minutes.)
Large numbers
For numbers above 100, German builds systematically on the patterns you already know.
| Number | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | einhunderteins | one hundred and one |
| 324 | dreihundertvierundzwanzig | three hundred and twenty-four |
| 999 | neunhundertneunundneunzig | nine hundred and ninety-nine |
| 1000 | tausend | thousand |
| 10000 | zehntausend | ten thousand |
| 100000 | einhunderttausend | one hundred thousand |
| 1000000 | eine Million | one million |
| 1000000000 | eine Milliarde | one billion |
Example sentences:
- Das Auto kostet fünfzehntausend Euro. (The car costs fifteen thousand euros.)
- In der Stadt leben zwei Millionen Menschen. (Two million people live in the city.)
Time (Uhrzeit)
The 24-hour system
German predominantly uses the 24-hour system (military time) rather than distinguishing between AM and PM. This makes time expressions more precise and eliminates confusion.
The 24-hour system is standard in German - no AM/PM needed! This is used in all official contexts like train schedules, appointments, and business hours.
To say "o'clock," Germans use "Uhr" (literally "clock"). The word comes after the number, unlike English where "o'clock" follows.
24-hour Examples:
- 2:00 (2 AM): zwei Uhr
- 18:00 (6 PM): achtzehn Uhr
- 12:00 (12 PM): zwölf Uhr
- 0:00 (midnight): null Uhr
Official time format
The most straightforward way to express time is to state the hour followed by the minutes. This method works for any time and is always correct.
Formula: hour + Uhr + minutes
Official Format Examples:
- 3:20 AM: drei Uhr zwanzig
- 18:10 (6:10 PM): achtzehn Uhr zehn
- 0:45 AM: null Uhr fünfundvierzig
Example sentences:
- Der Zug fährt um vierzehn Uhr dreißig ab. (The train departs at 14:30.)
- Mein Termin ist um neun Uhr fünfzehn. (My appointment is at 9:15.)
Informal time expressions
In casual conversation, Germans often use "nach" (past) and "vor" (to/before) to express minutes, similar to English.
Usage rules:
- nach (past): for minutes 1-30
- vor (to/before): for minutes 31-59
When using "vor", you refer to the next hour, not the current one.
When using the informal method, Germans typically convert to 12-hour format mentally, even though they may write times in 24-hour format.
Informal Time Examples:
- 3:20: zwanzig nach drei (twenty past three)
- 18:10: zehn nach sechs (ten past six) - Note: uses 6, not 18 in informal speech
- 1:45: ein Uhr fünfundvierzig OR Viertel vor zwei (quarter to two)
Quarter and half hours
German has special expressions for common time intervals that you'll hear frequently in everyday speech.
| Time | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes past | Viertel nach | quarter past |
| 30 minutes past | halb | half (to next hour) |
| 45 minutes past | Viertel vor | quarter to |
Critical Concept: "halb" means "half to" the next hour, not "half past" the current hour. This is opposite to English logic!
- halb sieben = 6:30 (half to seven)
- NOT 7:30 as English speakers might expect
Quarter and Half Hour Examples:
- 3:15: Viertel nach drei (quarter past three)
- 6:30: halb sieben (half to seven - meaning 6:30)
- 8:45: Viertel vor neun (quarter to nine)
Example dialogue:
- A: Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?)
- B: Um halb acht. (At half past seven - 7:30)
- A: Gut, bis später! (Good, see you later!)
Example sentences:
- Die Vorlesung beginnt um Viertel nach zwei. (The lecture begins at quarter past two.)
- Wir treffen uns um halb sechs. (We're meeting at 5:30.)
Common mistakes and tips
Numbers:
- Don't forget to reverse the order for compound numbers (units first, then tens)
- Remember to drop the 's' from 'eins' when it's part of a compound number
- Practice the irregular forms like 'dreißig' (thirty) and 'sechzehn' (sixteen)
Time:
- Remember that 'halb sieben' means 6:30, not 7:30
- In formal contexts, stick to the 24-hour system format
- When writing times, use the format "14:30 Uhr" or "um 14:30 Uhr"
- The word 'Uhr' is essential - don't leave it out when stating times
Key Points to Remember:
- German compound numbers put the units digit first, then 'und', then the tens digit
- The 24-hour system is standard in German - no AM/PM needed
- 'halb' refers to half-way TO the next hour, not half PAST the current hour
- You can always use the official format (hour + Uhr + minutes) and be correct
- When using informal time expressions, 'nach' is for 1-30 minutes, 'vor' is for 31-59 minutes