Why is 21 written einundzwanzig?

German writes the units digit before the tens digit, joined by und, so 21 is ein-und-zwanzig, literally one-and-twenty. This order applies to every two-digit ending from 21 to 99 except the round tens.

Are German numbers one word or several?

Numbers up to 999,999 are written as a single closed compound word, such as einhundertdreiundzwanzigtausend. From a million upward, Million and Milliarde are written as separate words with a space.

When is the extra 'und' inserted?

Traditional usage inserts und before a final units digit after hundreds or thousands, for example einhundertundeins for 101. The tool follows this convention; modern usage often drops it, so both forms are accepted German.

What scale does German use for large numbers?

German uses the long scale: eine Million is 10^6, eine Milliarde is 10^9 (a thousand million), and eine Billion is 10^12. This differs from the US short scale where billion means 10^9.

Is eins shortened to ein?

Standalone one is eins, but as a multiplier it becomes ein, as in einhundert and eintausend. Before Million it stays as eine, giving eine Million. The tool applies each of these forms correctly.

German Number to Words

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The German Number to Words tool renders any non-negative integer as correct German text — a single closed compound word below a million, and spaced long-scale words above it. It handles the features that make German numbers tricky: the units-before-tens order, the eins/ein/eine alternation, and the optional und join.

How it works

The number is broken into groups of three digits (units, thousands, millions, milliards, …) and each group is spelled:

0–12 have unique names; the teens use -zehn (dreizehn); the tens use -zig/-ßig (dreißig).
Units before tens. For 21–99 the units digit comes first with und: einundzwanzig, siebenundsiebzig.
Hundreds. einhundert, zweihundert, then the remainder; an und is inserted before a final units digit (einhundertundeins).
Thousands append tausend (one word): dreitausend, einhundertdreiundzwanzigtausend.
Long scale. Million/Millionen, Milliarde/Milliarden, Billion/Billionen are separate, capitalised words (zwei Millionen). eins becomes eine before these (eine Million).

Example and notes

1001 becomes eintausendundeins; 21 becomes einundzwanzig; 1234567 becomes eine Million zweihundertvierunddreißigtausendfünfhundertsiebenundsechzig. The tool follows the traditional und insertion after hundreds/thousands, which some style guides omit — both are accepted German. It uses the long scale (Milliarde = 10⁹), matching German usage rather than the US short scale. Input must be a whole number; decimals and negatives are rejected.