Dutch grammar - Numerals and Number Words

Numerals in Dutch Understanding how to form and use numbers is essential for reading prices, telling time, dates, and discussing quantities in Dutch. This guide covers the core numeral systems you'll encounter most frequently. Cardinal Numbers 0–9 The single-digit numbers in Dutch are: 0 = nul 1 = één (note the accent mark) 2 = twee 3 = drie 4 = vier 5 = vijf 6 = zes 7 = zeven 8 = acht 9 = negen Important: The number one is written as één (with an accent) to distinguish it from the indefinite article een. When you see "een boek" (a book), that's the article. When you see "één boek" (one book), that's the numeral. Cardinal Numbers 10–19 The teens in Dutch include some irregular forms that don't follow a predictable pattern: 10 = tien 11 = elf 12 = twaalf (this is irregular—don't try to guess this one!) 13 = dertien (notice the reversal: "der" + "tien," not "drie" + "tien") 14 = veertien 15–19 = base number + -tien: vijftien (15), zestien (16), zeventien (17), achttien (18), negentien (19) The trickiest part here is recognizing that 13 undergoes metathesis—the sounds are rearranged compared to what you'd expect from "drie" (3). Similarly, 12 requires memorization as a completely irregular form. Decades and Compound Numbers (20–99) Decades are formed by taking the base number and adding the suffix -tig: 20 = twintig 30 = dertig 40 = veertig 50 = vijftig 60 = zestig 70 = zeventig 80 = tachtig 90 = negentig To create compound numbers between decades (such as 25 or 47), you combine the unit digit with "en" (and) plus the decade. Crucially, these are written as one word with no spaces: 21 = eenentwintig (one-and-twenty) 25 = vijfentwintig (five-and-twenty) 47 = sievenenveertig (seven-and-forty) 99 = negenennegen (nine-and-ninety) Notice the order: units come first, then "en," then the tens. This mirrors spoken Dutch and differs from English, where we say "twenty-one" (tens first). When a compound number begins with a vowel and the decade ends in a vowel, a diaeresis (two dots) is added to the first vowel for clarity: éénantwintig (21) or achtentwintig (28). Hundreds One hundred in Dutch is honderd. Multiples of 100 are formed by placing the numeral directly before "honderd" with no space or connecting word: 100 = honderd 200 = tweehonderd 300 = driehunderd 500 = vijfhonderd When you combine hundreds with lower numbers, concatenate them together. The word "en" may optionally appear before the final component: 205 = tweehonderdenijf or tweehonderd vijf 347 = driehonderdzevenenveertig (three hundred and seven and forty) Thousands The word for one thousand is duizend, and importantly, it is used without a preceding article—you say "duizend" not "een duizend": 1000 = duizend 2000 = tweeduizend 5000 = vijfduizend Here's a key difference from hundreds: when you combine a thousands component with a lower number, you separate them with a space: 1234 = duizend tweehonderdvierendertig 2500 = tweeduizend vijfhonderd 5050 = vijfduizend vijftig This spacing rule helps readers parse the number more easily and is essential to remember. Millions and Higher Dutch uses the long-scale system, which differs from what some English speakers might expect. In the long scale: 1,000,000 = miljoen 1,000,000,000 = miljard 1,000,000,000,000 = biljoen For multiples of these large numbers, the pattern is: numeral + space + scale word: 2,000,000 = twee miljoen 420,000,000,000 = vierhonderdtwintig miljard Crucially, when the multiple is 1 (exactly one million, one billion, etc.), you must include the word "een": 1,000,000 = een miljoen (not just "miljoen") 1,000,000,000 = een miljard When these large numbers are combined with lower numbers, they follow the same spacing pattern as thousands: 2,500,347 = twee miljoen vijfhonderdduizend driehonderdzevenenveertig Ordinal Numbers Ordinal numbers express position in a sequence (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). In Dutch, ordinals are formed by adding suffixes to cardinal numbers and function like adjectives, always ending in -e regardless of the gender of the noun being described. The two ordinal suffixes are -de and -ste, with the choice depending on the specific number. Most ordinals use -de, but several important ones use -ste: 1st = eerste (irregular) 2nd = tweede 3rd = derde (irregular) 4th = vierde 5th = vijfde 6th = zesde 7th = zevende 8th = achtste 9th = negende 20th = twintigste For compound ordinal numbers, only the final component receives the ordinal suffix: 21st = eenentwintigste (not eenentwintigde eenentwintig-ste) 125th = honderdvijfentwintigste Important for reading questions: ordinals in Dutch are often used with definite articles and agree with the noun: "de eerste dag" (the first day) "het derde huis" (the third house) Fractional Numbers Fractions in Dutch are expressed using a cardinal numerator combined with an ordinal denominator: $$\text{numerator (cardinal)} + \text{denominator (ordinal)}$$ Common fractions have special names: 1/2 = een half (not "een tweede," which would be unusual) 1/4 = een kwart 3/4 = driekwart (often written as a single word) For other fractions, use the cardinal-plus-ordinal pattern: 1/5 = een vijfde 3/8 = drie achtste When a fraction appears after a whole number, the parts are separated by en (and): 1½ = anderhalf (this is a special contraction of "één en een half") 2¾ = twee en driekwart (two and three-quarters) If the numerator is not 1, the "en" may be omitted: 2¾ = twee driekwart (also acceptable) <extrainfo> Iterative Numbers Iterative numbers indicate how many times an action occurs. They are formed using cardinal + maal (times) or keer (times): once = eenmaal (written as one word) twice = tweemaal three times = driemaal (all written together) four times = vier keer (keer is not contracted with the numeral) Ordinal iterative expressions combine an ordinal plus "keer" or "maal" and function as masculine nouns: "de tweede keer" (the second time) </extrainfo> <extrainfo> Multiplicative Numbers Multiplicative numbers express multiplicity and come in two forms. Multiplicative nouns are formed with the suffix -voud: twofold = tweevoud threefold = drievoud For the number 1, the noun is enkelvoud (singular form, meaning "onefold"), derived from enkel (single). Multiplicative adjectives are formed with -voudig: simple/onefold = enkelvoudig twofold = tweevoudig threefold = drievoudig </extrainfo>