German expresses large numbers with distinct words and patterns:
- Tausend = thousand; used like "one thousand" (eintausend).
- Million = million; is a noun and takes plural/singular forms (eine Million, zwei Millionen).
- Milliarde = billion (10^9); also a noun with plurals (eine Milliarde, zwei Milliarden).
Tausend (Thousands)
Tausend
Tausend is used for 1,000 and above. From 1,001 onward, numbers are built by combining:
- 1,000 = eintausend
- 2,000 = zweitausend
- 1,234 = eintausendzweihundertvierunddreißig
No spaces or hyphens separate thousands from the rest of the number.
Millionen (Millions)
Million
Million is a noun and must be treated grammatically:
- 1 million = eine Million
- 2 million(s) = zwei Millionen (note plural -en)
- For large numbers: 3,000,000 = drei Millionen
Use "eine" (feminine) for a single million; whole numbers with million require agreement.
Milliarden (Billions)
Milliarde
Milliarde means billion (1,000,000,000) and is also a noun:
- 1 billion = eine Milliarde
- 2 billion(s) = zwei Milliarden
For numbers: 1,000,000,000 = eine Milliarde, 3,000,000,000 = drei Milliarden
Conclusion:
German handles large numbers with specific nouns and patterns:
- Tausend = thousand (combines directly with numbers)
- Million and Milliarde = million and billion (treated as nouns, with plural forms)
- This system reflects both meaning and grammar in numerals.