Hundreds and thousands build on the foundation of German numbers, letting you count and talk about larger quantities. We'll see how to form these numbers, use them in sentences, and recognize common patterns.
Hundreds
- hundert = hundred in German
- German forms hundreds by saying the smaller number first, then hundert (e.g., 200 = zweihundert)
- Unlike English, German does not use "and" when forming hundreds (e.g., 125 = einhundertfünfundzwanzig)
Examples of Hundreds
German numbers example German pattern example
101 einhunderteins einhundert + eins
115 einhundertfünfzehn einhundert + fünfzehn
200 zweihundert zwei + hundert
321 dreihunderteinundzwanzig drei + hundert + einundzwanzig
400 vierhundert vier + hundert
999 neunhundertneunundneunzig neun + hundert + neunundneunzig
Usage in Sentences
German grammar example German sentence example English sentence example
Simple count Ich habe dreihundert Euro. I have three hundred euros.
Year 1984 Das Jahr neunzehnhundertvierundachtzig. The year nineteen eighty-four.
Quantity Wir brauchen fünfhundert Stühle. We need five hundred chairs.
Thousands
- tausend = thousand
- Form thousands by placing the smaller number before tausend (e.g., 3,000 = dreitausend)
- Numbers after tausend are added directly without spaces (e.g., 3,215 = dreitausendzweihundertfünfzehn)
Examples of Thousands
German numbers example German pattern example
1.000 tausend eins + tausend
2.000 zweitausend zwei + tausend
4.321 viertausenddreihunderteinundzwanzig vier + tausend + drei + hundert + einundzwanzig
10.000 zehntausend zehn + tausend
15.000 fünfzehntausend fünfzehn + tausend
20.000 zwanzigtausend zwanzig + tausend
123.456 einhundertdreiundzwanzigtausendvierhundertsechsundfünfzig ...
Usage in Sentences
German grammar example German sentence example English sentence example
Large count Es sind zehntausend Leute da. There are ten thousand people there.
Moneybetrag Sie hat fünfundzwanzigtausend Euro gespart. She has saved twenty-five thousand euros.
Address Meine Adresse ist viertausendfünfhundert Bahnhofstraße. My address is 4,500 Bahnhof Street.
Tips for Reading Long Numbers
- Read from left to right, grouping by tausend (thousand) and hundert (hundred)
- Smaller numbers before hundred/thousand: dreitausend, *vierhundert
- No spaces within compound numbers: einhundertfünfundzwanzig, not *einhundert fünfundzwanzig
- und (and) only appears within the last two digits for numbers 21-99 (e.g., einundzwanzig)
In what order do you combine numbers when forming a compound German number?
Smaller number + hundert or tausend (e.g., drei + hundert = dreihundert)
In German, you always put the smaller number first, then add **hundert** or **tausend**. For example, 300 is *dreihundert* (three + hundred).
Summary
German hundreds and thousands use simple rules:
- … + hundert for hundreds (e.g., zweihundert, dreihundertfünfzig)
- … + tausend for thousands (e.g., dritausend, viertausendzweihundert)
- Combine directly without spaces
- Use und only between tens and ones (21-99)
This lets you confidently read, write, and say large numbers in German.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
