Whether you want to learn German for personal satisfaction or planning to come to Germany, mastering numeracy is an important initial skill. As a child, what you learned in your first language was how to count–perhaps even before you really understood what the numbers meant. German is a very logical language. So if you want to understand how to count to 20 in German, you can understand any number fundamentally.
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Part 1 of 3: Counting from One to Ten
Step 1. Learn to count from one to five
If you want to learn to count to 20 (and beyond) in German, the easiest way to start is to divide the numbers into smaller groups. Learn the first five numbers first, then move on to the next five numbers if you can. Here are the first five numbers, pronounced in parentheses:
- "Eins" (ains) means one.
- "Zwei" (tswai) means two. Remember, say "ts" as you would say "tsetse" fly.
- "Drei" (drai) means three.
- "Vier" (fiir) means four.
- "Fünf" (fuunf) means five. Most Germans pronounce it more like sounding an "m" than an "n" (like "fuumf") because the consonant combination "mf" is easier to pronounce. So, don't be shy if you find yourself doing the same thing.
Step 2. Keep counting to five over and over again
The best way to learn to count is to count from one to five over and over again until you get used to it. When calculating things in everyday life, use German instead of Indonesian.
You can also write these words on a card and stick it on a mirror or door that you see often. This helps the letters and words stick in your mind
Step 3. Learn to count from six to ten
After being able to count to five, start learning to count the next five numbers. Here are the numbers six through ten in German, how they are pronounced in parentheses:
- "Sechs" (zekhs) means six. The "ch" sound is like the letter "k", which is pronounced from the base of the throat. Imagine the sound you make when you clear your throat, or the sound of a cat growling.
- "Sieben" (ZII-ben) means seven. Capital letters in pronunciation indicate which syllables need emphasis.
- "Acht" (ahkht) means eight. Remember, say this word from the base of your throat.
- "Neun" (noin) means nine.
- "Zehn" (tsein) means ten.
Step 4. Practice counting from one to ten
You can practice saying the numbers six to ten for a while if you like, so you can remember the numbers by heart the way you remember the numbers one through five. When you're ready, start practicing counting from one to ten.
- Use a similar exercise method that you successfully applied when practicing counting from one to five.
- You can also search the internet for German nursery rhymes for counting. You may find it silly to listen to nursery rhymes, but listening to these songs can help you learn to count in German as much as possible when you learn to count in Indonesian.
Part 2 of 3: Counting To Twenty and Beyond
Step 1. Learn the words for the numbers 11 and 12
Just like in English, the numbers 11 and 12 in German are different – the words for the two numbers are not formed like any other number. Therefore, it is easiest to study them separately.
- "Elf" (elf) means eleven.
- "Zwölf" (tsvoolf) means twelve. This word is a bit difficult to pronounce for Indonesians.
Step 2. See how the numbers 13 through 19 are formed
The German number "teen" is similar in formation to the English number, although English is actually a bit more complicated.
- In German, all you have to do is pick up the word for the ten, "zehn," that you already know.
- In front of "zehn," put the word from three to nine that corresponds to the two-digit number.
- So, for example, 13 in German is "dreizehn" (DRAI-tsein). Literally, you can guess the word means "three and ten", which add up means 13.
- The formation of all the number-words in this dozen is the same, with the emphasis always on the first syllable.
Step 3. Practice counting tens
The easiest way to continue counting in German is to first remember the words for the tens–20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90. Many of these words are formed by adding "zig" after the leading digit, such as the following:
- "Zwanzig" (TSVAHN-tsikh) means twenty.
- "Dreißig" (DRAI-sikh) means thirty. The letter "ß," called Eszett or scharfes S (thin S), is a unique letter in German that is pronounced like the "s" sound in "kiss" and "bless" in English.
- "Vierzig" (FIIR-tsikh) means forty.
- "Fünfzig" (FUUNF-tsikh) means fifty.
- "Sechzig" (ZEKH-tsikh) means sixty.
- "Siebzig" (ZIIP-tsikh) means seventy.
- "Achtzig" (AHKH-tsikh) means eighty.
- "Neunzig" (NOIN-tsikh) means ninety.
Step 4. Use logic to form another number
Now that you know how to count tens and count from one to nine, you already have the foundation to form other numbers in German.
- Start with the smallest number, then continue to form words from there. For example, the German for 21 is "einundzwanzig" (AIN-unt-tsvahn-tsikh). The literal translation is "one and twenty," because " und " in German means "and."
- All numbers up to one hundred are formed like this, with " hundert " (HUUN-dert) for 100. The word literally means "hundreds," so einhundert means 100.
- As you may have guessed, the word formation starts here again, just as with the smaller numbers. Write (or say) the hundreds first, then the numbers after.
- Remember that there is no " und " or " and " between the hundreds and the next digit.
- Because you know how to pronounce the basic numbers, from one to ten, you know how to form and pronounce longer words. For example, "fünfhundertfünfunddreißig" for the number 535.
Part 3 of 3: Mastering Pronunciation
Step 1. Understand the innate logic of the German language
Unlike English or French, German has a built-in logic for joining words. This logic can help you understand how German words are put together, including how they are pronounced.
- You can see this logic easily in the German words for rooms in the house. The German word for "room" is "zimmer," and many German words for room are a combination of "zimmer" with the verb you use to describe what you do in that room.
- For example, the German word for "bedroom" is "Schlafzimmer". Since "schlaf" means "sleep", the literal translation is "room for sleeping".
- Similarly, the German word for "dining room" is "Esszimmer"–"ess" means "to eat" and "zimmer" means "room", literally "dining room".
- You will see this logic work when you learn to count in German.
Step 2. Differentiate the pronunciation of consonants in German and Indonesian
Although most German letters look the same as Indonesian letters, they can be pronounced a little differently. If Indonesian is your first language, you should practice distinguishing a few words in German.
- "W" is pronounced like a sound between "v" and "w" in Indonesian.
- "V" is pronounced like "f" in Indonesian.
- You can combine the two pronunciations in a phrase related to counting. To ask "how many?" in German, we say "Wie viel?" This question is pronounced "vii fiil."
- '"J" in German is pronounced like "y"–like "ja" (yah), the German word for "yes".
- German also combines consonants in forms that seem difficult to pronounce in Indonesian.
- In general, when we see two consonants, we pronounce both sounds. It may be similar to Indonesian. For example, if we see the consonant consonant "ts", pronounce it like "ts" as in the fly word "tsetse".
Step 3. Practice pronouncing unique vowels
German has some vowels that are not in Indonesian, or at least less common. This sound can be difficult to pronounce because it feels foreign to the tongue or ear.
- For example, the sound "ö" has no equivalent in Indonesian. It sounds close to the "e" in "go," but it doesn't sound like that. This sound is pronounced in the German word for the number 12.
- Likewise with the sound "ü" in German which has no equivalent in Indonesian. The sound is similar to the "u" sound in Indonesian, but with a more muted mouth. If you understand French, imagine the "u" sound in "une" or "etude," which sound more similar.
- The only way to pronounce this pronunciation correctly is to practice the word with the sound over and over again.
Step 4. Pronounce diphthongs correctly
A diphthong is a combination of two vowels sounded in one sound. However, we can hear the sound of both vowels if we pronounce them.
- For example, the German diphthongs "eu" and "äu" sound the same as the Indonesian "oi" sound as in "amboi".
- However, combining two vowels in German does not automatically become a diphthong.
- Remember that whenever you see the letter "e" at the end of a word, this word is usually sounded. The German "e" sounds the same as the "e" in "shopping". So "treue," the German word for "true," is pronounced "troi-e."
Step 5. Listen and repeat
The best way to get the pronunciation right is to say it over and over again, and also listen to a native speaker. Look it up in German online videos and listen to the pronunciation of the words.
- At this point, you don't need to understand what the words mean. Just listen so you get used to the sounds in German.
- Pay attention to the way Germans move their mouths when they speak. In general, German is a language spoken with the lips more closed, with an emphasis on the jaw.
- If you try to mimic this and close your jaw tighter, you may be able to produce a more precise sound.
