German Maths & Numbers Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary you need to actually talk about numbers and calculations in German, from basic verbs like addieren and dividieren to nouns like die Gleichung (equation) and die Ziffer (digit). One trap here: der Bruch means fraction, but it's the same word German uses for a physical break or fracture, so a Bruch in your arm and a Bruch in your maths homework are grammatically identical.
Learn these 18 words
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All 18 words
- addierenA2
to add
Wir addieren die beiden Zahlen zusammen. — We add the two numbers together.
plural: die Prozente
percent
Fünfzig Prozent der Schüler bestehen die Prüfung. — Fifty percent of the students pass the exam.
- rechnenA2
calculate, do math
Sarah kann gut rechnen. — Sarah can do math well.
plural: die Zahlen
number
Können Sie die Zahl bitte wiederholen? — Can you repeat the number please?
to divide
Sie dividiert zwölf durch vier. — She divides twelve by four.
to multiply
Man multipliziert die Zahl mit drei. — You multiply the number by three.
to subtract
Er subtrahiert fünf von zehn. — He subtracts five from ten.
plural: die Brüche
a break / fraction / fracture
Ein Bruch ist ein Teil eines Ganzen. — A fraction is a part of a whole.
plural: die Gleichungen
an equation
Die mathematische Gleichung ist schwer zu lösen. — The mathematical equation is difficult to solve.
plural: die Kreisumfänge
circumference
Der Kreisumfang berechnet sich aus dem Durchmesser. — The circumference is calculated from the diameter.
the Periodic Table / Chart
Das Periodensystem zeigt alle chemischen Elemente. — The Periodic Table shows all chemical elements.
plural: die Proportionen
proportion / ratio
Die Proportion zwischen Breite und Höhe ist falsch. — The proportion between width and height is wrong.
Mercury (element)
Das Quecksilber ist ein flüssiges Metall. — Mercury is a liquid metal.
plural: die Zahlenreihen
series of numbers
Die Zahlenreihe beginnt mit eins und endet mit zehn. — The series of numbers begins with one and ends with ten.
plural: die Ziffern
numeral / digit
Die Ziffer acht wird mit zwei Kurven geschrieben. — The digit eight is written with two curves.
to figure / number / estimate
Der Experte beziffert den Schaden auf zehn Millionen. — The expert estimates the damage at ten million.
plural: die Grundgesamtheiten
population
Die Grundgesamtheit der Studie umfasste tausend Personen. — The population of the study comprised one thousand people.
plural: die Scheitelpunkte
a vertex
Der Scheitelpunkt der Parabel liegt bei Koordinate (2, 3). — The vertex of the parabola lies at coordinate (2, 3).
How to learn this set
Four of the calculation verbs here, addieren, dividieren, multiplizieren, and subtrahieren, all end in -ieren and all take haben in the perfect tense (ich habe addiert), so once you learn the pattern for one you've learned it for all four. Notice too that die Zahl and die Ziffer look like they should mean the same thing but don't: Zahl is the whole number, Ziffer is a single digit within it. Drill that pair together with real examples, like saying die Zahl 24 hat zwei Ziffern, so the distinction sticks rather than blurring into one English "number" in your head.
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Frequently asked questions
Is der Bruch always a fraction in maths?
No. Der Bruch covers a physical break or fracture as well as the mathematical fraction (like 3/4). Context tells you which one is meant, but in a maths class it almost always means fraction.
What is the difference between die Zahl and die Ziffer?
Die Zahl is a number as a whole, like 452. Die Ziffer is a single digit, like the 4, 5, or 2 that make it up. English uses 'number' loosely for both, so this split takes some getting used to.
Why is das Periodensystem neuter?
It's neuter because it's a compound noun ending in -system, and das System is always neuter in German regardless of what precedes it. The same logic gives you das Sonnensystem (solar system).
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