der  Zwanziger

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈtsvantsɪɡɐ/

🤔 What exactly is a Zwanziger?

The German word der Zwanziger has several meanings, mostly related to the number twenty (zwanzig):

• 🧍 Person: A man (or less commonly, generalizing, a person) in their third decade of life, i.e., aged 20 to 29. Example: Er ist ein typischer Zwanziger, der gerade sein Studium beginnt. (He's a typical twenty-something just starting his studies.)
• 💶 Banknote: A twenty-euro bill (formerly also a twenty-mark bill). Example: Kannst du mir einen Zwanziger wechseln? (Can you change a twenty for me?)
• 📅 Decade (less common for 'der'): Sometimes refers to the twenties of a century (e.g., the 1920s). However, the plural form die Zwanziger is more commonly used for this. Example (less common): Der Zwanziger war eine wilde Zeit. (The twenties were a wild time. - More usual: Die Zwanziger waren eine wilde Zeit.)

🚨 Attention: For a woman in her twenties, you use die Zwanzigerin.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Der Zwanziger

Der Zwanziger is a nominalized numeral (a number turned into a noun). When referring to a person, it follows the weak noun declension (n-declension). When referring to the banknote, it's often declined strongly, but the weak form is also common.

Declension (Person)

Declension (Banknote - most common form)

Note: For banknotes, you might colloquially hear strong forms in the genitive singular ('des Zwanzigers') or dative singular ('dem Zwanziger'), although the weak declension (-n) is mandatory for persons.

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Zwanziger an der Kasse sah müde aus. (The twenty-something [male] at the checkout looked tired.)
2. Ich habe nur noch einen Zwanziger im Portemonnaie. (I only have a twenty left in my wallet.)
3. Gibst du mir bitte den Zwanziger zurück? (Can you give me back the twenty, please?)
4. Das Lebensgefühl eines Zwanzigers hat sich über die Jahrzehnte verändert. (The way of life/feeling of a twenty-something has changed over the decades.)

💬 How to Use 'Zwanziger'?

The term der Zwanziger is quite colloquial but widely used.

• Age: You refer to someone as a Zwanziger when roughly placing their age between 20 and 29. It's more informal than saying "ein Mann/eine Person zwischen 20 und 29" (a man/person between 20 and 29).
• Money: In everyday life, it's very common to call a 20 Euro bill simply a Zwanziger. Similar to Fünfziger (€50) or Zehner (€10).
• Decade: When talking about the decade, die Zwanziger (plural) is the standard form (e.g., die Goldenen Zwanziger - the Golden Twenties). The masculine singular form der Zwanziger is rare here and can be ambiguous.

Compared to Zwanzigjähriger (twenty-year-old), Zwanziger is shorter and more informal.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of DER Mann (the man) in his twenties, or DER Schein (the bill/banknote). Both concepts lean masculine in German context (Mann is masculine, Schein is masculine).

Meaning Mnemonic: A Zwanziger can tell you zwanzig (twenty) stories (if he's young) or buy you zwanzig (twenty) things (if it's a banknote)!

↔️ Opposites and Similarities

⚠️ Similar Words

• Zwanzigste(r): The adjective or noun for the ordinal number (the 20th). Example: der zwanzigste Geburtstag (the twentieth birthday).
• Die Zwanziger: Plural, usually refers to the decade (1920s, 2020s) or a group of people in their twenties.

😄 A Little Joke

Kellner: "Was möchten Sie trinken?" Gast: "Ach, wissen Sie, ich bin noch unentschlossen... typisch Zwanziger halt!"

Translation: Waiter: "What would you like to drink?" Guest: "Oh, you know, I'm still undecided... typical twenty-something!"

✍️ Poem about the Zwanziger

Ein Schein, ganz glatt, in Blau und Grau,
Der Zwanziger, ich kenn' ihn genau.
Mal schnell im Laden ausgegeben,
Für Träume, Wünsche, kurz fürs Leben.

Oder der Mensch, noch jung und frisch,
Sitzt grad am Studentenheim-Tisch.
Ein Zwanziger, voll Plan und Mut,
Die Welt liegt ihm zu Füßen gut.

Translation:

A bill, quite smooth, in blue and grey,
The twenty, I know it well, I say.
Quickly spent within the store,
For dreams, for wishes, life and more.

Or the person, young and keen,
Sitting at the student scene.
A twenty-something, full of plan and zest,
The world lies at their feet, put to the test.

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich kann ein Alter sein, noch nicht alt,
Oder Papier, das oft bezahlt.
Maskulin ist mein Geschlecht,
Wer bin ich? Sag es schnell und recht!

Translation:

I can be an age, not yet old,
Or paper, used for buying, I'm told.
Masculine is my gender type,
Who am I? Say it quick and ripe!

Solution: der Zwanziger

ℹ️ More Tidbits

Word Formation: The word "Zwanziger" derives directly from the cardinal number "zwanzig" (twenty) by adding the suffix "-er". This suffix is often used in German to form nouns from numbers (Zehner - tenner, Hunderter - hundred note/person aged 100) or to denote inhabitants (Berliner - person from Berlin) or people with a certain characteristic/origin.

Historically: In the past, "der Zwanziger" naturally referred to the twenty-Mark bill of the Deutsche Mark (DM).