German numbers have two traps that cost easy listening marks — units are said BEFORE the tens (einundzwanzig = 21, you hear the small number first), and teens versus tens sound alike (dreizehn 13 vs dreißig 30). Master these patterns and number questions become free marks.
This introduction covers Zahlen hören — The German Number Traps within Numbers, dates and times by ear for GCSE German. Revise Numbers, dates and times by ear in Listening Traps for GCSE German with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 1 of 4 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Numbers, dates and times by ear
You hear 'einundzwanzig'. What number is this?
Which German word means 30?
Quick recall flashcards
um ... Uhr
'um drei Uhr' = at three o'clock. 'um halb sieben' = at half past six (6:30). 'Uhr' signals a clock time. 'um' = at (for times). Note: 'Uhr' is die Uhr, die Uhren — the clock/watch, but also used for 'o'clock'.
hundert / tausend
hundert = 100 | tausend = 1,000. 'zweihundert' = 200. 'dreitausend' = 3,000. These combine directly without 'und' before them: 'dreitausendvierhundertfünfzig' = 3,450. Large numbers are one long compound word.