We should learn these Cardinal number names in German exactly like we learned our English numbers in Kindergarten. Exactly like a nursery rhyme. Also check there correct pronunciation on any translation app.
die Nummer/Zahl
0 - Null
1 - Eins
2 - Zwei
3 - Drei
4 - Vier
5 - Fünf
6 - Sechs
7 - Sieben
8 - Acht
9 - Neun
10 - Zehn
11 - Elf
12 - Zwölf
13 - Dreizehn
14 - Vierzehn
15 - Fünfzehn
16 - Sechszehn
17 - Siebzehn
18 - Achtzehn
19 - Neunzehn
20 - Zwanzig
Do we remember what was their gender?
Yes, Cardinal numbers are Feminine, hence, they will have Article die/eine. Eine Null, eine Eins.
You have got a zero in your test!
Sie haben eine Null in Ihrem Test!
I got a ten out of ten.
Ich habe zehn von zehn bekommen.
We have two eyes.
Wir haben zwei Augen.
The next number is -- twelve. (In a lottery)
Die nächste Zahl ist -- die Zwölf.
The Ordinal numbers are Masculine, hence, they use der article. ordinal numbers are formed by adding a -te in their Cardinal number names or by adding a -e if the last alphabet -t. For e.g.
die Eins der Erste First
die Zwei der Zweite Second
die Drei der Dritte Third
die Vier der Vierte Fourth
die Acht der Achte Eight
The ordinal numbers can also be feminine (die), neuter (das) or plural, depending on the noun they are used with:
the first car das erste Auto
the second door die zweite Tür
the first humans die ersten Menschen
Fractional number / Bruchzahl: 1/2, 1/5, 1/100. To make fractions (Brüche) for five and above, just add '-el' to the number, or '-tel' if the number does not end in 't':
1/2: die Hälfte one-half, half
1/3: das Drittel one-third
1/4: das Viertel one-fourth
1/8: das Achtel one-eighth
He is eating half of the cake.
Er isst die Hälfte des Kuchens.
One-third of our class studies Mathematics.
Ein Drittel unserer Klasse studiert Mathematik.
For Decimal numbers / die Dezimalzahlen, a decimal point is used instead of a comma (das Komma). For e.g.
0.638 = 0,638 (null Komma sechs drei acht)
1.08 = 1,08 (eins Komma null acht)
It takes 8.3 minutes for sunlight to reach earth.
Es dauert 8,3(acht Komma drei) Minuten, bis das Sonnenlicht die Erde erreicht.
So, to recap our cardinal numbers are feminine, ordinal numbers are masculine and fractions are neuter except 1/2(die Hälfte).
To practice try making more sentences with numbers in them. You can try spelling out your phone number in German or can try writing sentences with decimals or fractions in them.
In the next chapter we will have a look at numbers above 20.
Keep practicing. Stay Safe. Bis später. Tschüss.
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