Numbers 11-20

Level 1

11 (elf), 12 (twaalf), 13-19 (unit + -tien), 20 (twintig).

How It Works

Dutch cardinal numbers for the teens are essential for daily life. They are categorized into three groups:

1. The Irregulars (11 & 12)
Unlike the others, these do not use a suffix. They are single, unique words:

  • 11: elf
  • 12: twaalf

2. The 'Teens' (13-19)
These are formed by taking the unit (3-9) and adding -tien. Note the specific changes for 13 and 14:

  • 13: dertien (the 'rie' in drie flips to 'er')
  • 14: veertien (the 'ie' in vier changes to 'ee')
  • 15: vijftien
  • 16: zestien
  • 17: zeventien
  • 18: achttien (note the double 't' from acht + tien)
  • 19: negentien

3. The First Multiple of Ten (20)

  • 20: twintig (uses the suffix -tig, similar to English '-ty')

Usage with Nouns:
Usually, these numbers are followed by plural nouns (e.g., twaalf boeken). However, in Dutch, units of measurement, currency, and time often stay singular (e.g., vijftien euro, achttien jaar). See singular after numbers for more details.

Examples (5)

  1. Ik heb twaalf eieren gekocht.

    I bought twelve eggs.

    Word by Word: I have twelve eggs bought.

    'Twaalf' is the unique form for 12 and is followed by a plural noun.

  2. Mijn broer is veertien jaar oud.

    My brother is fourteen years old.

    Word by Word: My brother is fourteen year old.

    Note that 'vier' becomes 'veer-' in 'veertien', and 'jaar' stays singular after a number.

  3. Het is achttien over zeven.

    It is eighteen past seven.

    Word by Word: It is eighteen over seven.

    'Achttien' is spelled with two 't's because it combines 'acht' and 'tien'.

  4. Er zijn dertien studenten in de klas.

    There are thirteen students in the class.

    Word by Word: There are thirteen students in the class.

    'Dertien' shows the 'rie' to 'er' shift from the base number 'drie'.

  5. Dat kost twintig euro.

    That costs twenty euros.

    Word by Word: That costs twenty euro.

    'Twintig' is the first number to use the '-tig' suffix.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the base unit for 13 and 14 without the spelling shift.

    Ik ben drietien jaar oud.
    Ik ben dertien jaar oud.

    You must change 'drie' to 'der-' and 'vier' to 'veer-' when adding the '-tien' suffix.

  • Spelling 18 with only one 't'.

    achtien
    achttien

    Because 'acht' ends in 't' and 'tien' starts with 't', both must be written, even though you only hear one 't' sound.

  • Using 'veertig' (40) when you mean 14.

    veertig
    veertien

    '-tien' is for the teens (13-19), while '-tig' is for tens (20, 30, 40, etc.).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Numbers 11-20Level 1

Learn This First

To learn the numbers 11-20, a learner first needs to be familiar with the basic digits 1-10, as many of the higher numbers are derivatives or combinations of these roots. Basic spelling knowledge is also helpful to understand the slight phonetic and orthographic shifts that occur when adding suffixes.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

elftwaalfdertienveertienvijftienzestienzeventienachttiennegentientwintig