Numbers are everywhere — from prices and addresses to dates and phone numbers. Learning them early will make your Dutch learning journey much smoother! Here’s a simple guide for beginners.
1. Cardinal Numbers (Counting)
| Number | Dutch |
|---|---|
| 0 | nul |
| 1 | één |
| 2 | twee |
| 3 | drie |
| 4 | vier |
| 5 | vijf |
| 6 | zes |
| 7 | zeven |
| 8 | acht |
| 9 | negen |
| 10 | tien |
Tip: Practice aloud daily — numbers are used constantly in conversations.
2. Numbers 11–20
- 11 – elf
- 12 – twaalf
- 13 – dertien
- 14 – veertien
- 15 – vijftien
- 16 – zestien
- 17 – zeventien
- 18 – achttien
- 19 – negentien
- 20 – twintig
Tip: Notice the “-tien” ending for teen numbers — similar to English “-teen.”
3. Tens and Beyond
| 10s | Dutch |
|---|---|
| 20 | twintig |
| 30 | dertig |
| 40 | veertig |
| 50 | vijftig |
| 60 | zestig |
| 70 | zeventig |
| 80 | tachtig |
| 90 | negentig |
| 100 | honderd |
Tip: In Dutch, numbers above 20 are usually said as “unit + en + tens”. Example: 23 → drieëntwintig.
4. Larger Numbers
| Number | Dutch |
|---|---|
| 99 | negenennegentig |
| 100 | honderd |
| 101 | honderd één |
| 199 | honderd negenennegentig |
| 200 | tweehonderd |
| 201 | tweehonderd één |
| 499 | vierhonderd negenennegentig |
| 500 | vijfhonderd |
| 501 | vijfhonderd één |
| 999 | negenhonderd negenennegentig |
| 1000 | duizend |
| 1001 | duizend één |
5. Ordinal Numbers (First, Second, Third…)
| English | Dutch |
|---|---|
| First | eerste |
| Second | tweede |
| Third | derde |
| Fourth | vierde |
| Fifth | vijfde |
Tip: Useful for dates, rankings, and instructions.
6. Quick Practice Tips
- Try saying your phone number or house number in Dutch.
- Count objects around you — e.g., chairs, books, fruits.
- Practice random numbers (like 199, 501) to get used to larger numbers.
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