Numbers are fundamental to any language — you need them for shopping, telling the time, giving your phone number, discussing ages, prices and much more. Dutch numbers have some quirks compared to English, but once you learn the pattern they become second nature.
In Dutch, numbers 21–99 are said "backwards" compared to English! So 21 is eenentwintig (one-and-twenty). This is similar to German and actually preserves an older pattern found in many Germanic languages.
🔢 Numbers 0–20
| Number | Dutch | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | nul | rhymes with "pull" |
| 1 | één | like "ayn" |
| 2 | twee | like "tvay" |
| 3 | drie | like "dree" |
| 4 | vier | like "fear" |
| 5 | vijf | like "vayf" |
| 6 | zes | like "zess" |
| 7 | zeven | "ZAY-vun" |
| 8 | acht | like "akht" (guttural) |
| 9 | negen | "NAY-ghun" |
| 10 | tien | like "teen" |
| 11 | elf | like "elf" |
| 12 | twaalf | "TVAALF" |
| 13 | dertien | "DAIR-teen" |
| 14 | veertien | "FAIR-teen" |
| 15 | vijftien | "VAYF-teen" |
| 16 | zestien | "ZESS-teen" |
| 17 | zeventien | "ZAY-vun-teen" |
| 18 | achttien | "AKHT-teen" |
| 19 | negentien | "NAY-gun-teen" |
| 20 | twintig | "TVIN-tikh" |
🔢 Tens: 20–100
| Number | Dutch |
|---|---|
| 20 | twintig |
| 30 | dertig |
| 40 | veertig |
| 50 | vijftig |
| 60 | zestig |
| 70 | zeventig |
| 80 | tachtig |
| 90 | negentig |
| 100 | honderd |
📐 The "Backwards" Rule: Numbers 21–99
For compound numbers between 21 and 99, Dutch puts the units digit FIRST, connected with en (and), then the tens:
- 21 = eenentwintig (one-and-twenty)
- 35 = vijfendertig (five-and-thirty)
- 48 = achtenveertig (eight-and-forty)
- 76 = zesenzeventig (six-and-seventy)
- 99 = negenennegentig (nine-and-ninety)
📊 Large Numbers
| Number | Dutch | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | honderd | honderd euro |
| 200 | tweehonderd | |
| 1,000 | duizend | duizend mensen |
| 10,000 | tienduizend | |
| 100,000 | honderdduizend | |
| 1,000,000 | één miljoen | een miljoen euro |
| 1,000,000,000 | één miljard |
So: €1.250,50 in Dutch = €1,250.50 in English.
🧮 Ordinal Numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd...)
Ordinal numbers are used for rankings, dates, and ordering. In Dutch, most ordinals end in -de or -ste.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| eerste (1ste/1e) | first |
| tweede (2de/2e) | second |
| derde (3de/3e) | third |
| vierde (4de) | fourth |
| vijfde (5de) | fifth |
| zesde | sixth |
| zevende | seventh |
| achtste (note: -ste) | eighth |
| negende | ninth |
| tiende | tenth |
💰 Numbers in Real Life: Shopping
Numbers are essential when shopping in the Netherlands. Here are some useful phrases:
✏️ Practice: Say These Numbers in Dutch
Try saying these numbers aloud before checking the answers:
- 25 = vijfentwintig
- 47 = zevenenveertig
- 83 = drieëntachtig
- 116 = honderd zestien
🔗 Continue Learning
- 👉 Days, Months & Time — use numbers with dates
- 👉 Shopping & Money — pay for things in Dutch
- 👉 Greetings — go back to basics
🎯 Ready to Test Your Dutch?
Take our free online Dutch level test and find out your level — A1, A2, B1 or higher!
Take the Free Test at dutchenglish.com/test →