Numbers 1-12

Level 1

The numbers 1 to 12 are eent, zwee, dräi, véier, fënnef, sechs, siwen, aacht, néng, zéng, eelef, zwielef.

How It Works

Counting

  • 1 eent
  • 2 zwee
  • 3 dräi
  • 4 véier
  • 5 fënnef
  • 6 sechs
  • 7 siwen
  • 8 aacht
  • 9 néng
  • 10 zéng
  • 11 eelef
  • 12 zwielef

Numbers are written in small letters: vun eent bis zwielef.

One before a noun
Before a noun, eent is not used. Say een with masculine and neuter nouns and eng with feminine nouns: ee Brudder, ee Kand, eng Schwëster. Een follows the n-rule: een Hond, but ee Kaffi. On a clock, one o'clock is eng Auer, because Auer is feminine.

One or a?
The number een / ee has a long, clear ee sound. The article en / e (a) is short and weak: e Kaffi is a coffee, ee Kaffi is one coffee. For feminine nouns both are written eng; the number is simply stressed.

Two
Two is zwou before a feminine noun and zwee otherwise. See zwee and zwou.

Seven and the n-rule
Siwen keeps its n before a vowel or d, h, n, t, z (siwen Auer, siwen Deeg) and drops it before other consonants (siwe Kanner). Among the other numbers, only een / ee follows the n-rule too.

To ask for a number, use wéi vill. For the clock, see telling the time.

Examples (6)

  1. Eent, zwee, dräi, lass!

    One, two, three, go!

    Word by Word: One, two, three, go!

    When you count, one is eent.

  2. Ech hunn ee Brudder an eng Schwëster.

    I have one brother and one sister.

    Word by Word: I have one brother and one sister.

    Ee goes with the masculine Brudder, eng with the feminine Schwëster.

  3. Et ass eng Auer.

    It's one o'clock.

    Word by Word: It is one hour.

    Auer is feminine, so one o'clock is eng Auer.

  4. Mir hunn dräi Kanner.

    We have three children.

    Word by Word: We have three children.

  5. D'Woch huet siwen Deeg.

    The week has seven days.

    Word by Word: The week has seven days.

    Siwen keeps its n before d.

  6. Mäi Jong ass néng Joer al.

    My son is nine years old.

    Word by Word: My boy is nine year old.

    After a number you say Joer, not Joren.

Common Mistakes

  • Counting with een instead of eent.

    Een, zwee, dräi!
    Eent, zwee, dräi!

    When you count or say the number on its own, one is eent.

  • Using eent directly before a noun.

    Ech hunn eent Kand.
    Ech hunn ee Kand.

    Before a masculine or neuter noun, one is een or ee; before a feminine noun it is eng.

  • Using een with a feminine noun.

    Et ass een Auer.
    Et ass eng Auer.

    Auer is feminine, so one must be eng.

How It Connects

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

Numbers 1-12Level 1

Words in This Pattern

eenteendräifënnefsechssiwenaachtnéngzéngeelefzwielef