die
Zahl
🔢 What does "die Zahl" mean?
The noun die Zahl (feminine) has several related meanings:
- Mathematical Value: It represents a numerical value or quantity. For example: Die Zahl 7 ist eine Primzahl. (The number 7 is a prime number.)
- Digit/Figure: It can also refer to the symbol representing a numerical value. For example: Schreibe die Zahlen deutlich auf. (Write the figures/numbers clearly. Here, referring to the symbols 0-9).
- Quantity / Number (of): It denotes an amount or number of things or people, often unspecified. For example: Eine große Zahl von Menschen besuchte das Konzert. (A large number of people attended the concert.)
- Figure / Statistic: In economic or statistical contexts, it's often used to mean a key figure or statistical value. For example: Die neuesten Verkaufszahlen sind beeindruckend. (The latest sales figures are impressive. The plural 'Zahlen' is common here).
🚨 There is only one article for "Zahl": die. It is always feminine.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Numbers, calculations → almost always feminine.
Caution: When verbs are turned into nouns, the result is 'das Addieren', 'das Subtrahieren', 'das Multiplizieren', 'das Dividieren'.
📊 Grammar of "die Zahl" in Detail
The word "Zahl" is a feminine noun. Here are the declension tables:
Singular Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die Zahl | eine Zahl |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der Zahl | einer Zahl |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der Zahl | einer Zahl |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die Zahl | eine Zahl |
Plural Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article / No Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Zahlen | Zahlen / keine Zahlen |
| Genitive | der Zahlen | Zahlen / keiner Zahlen |
| Dative | den Zahlen | Zahlen / keinen Zahlen |
| Accusative | die Zahlen | Zahlen / keine Zahlen |
Example Sentences 📝
- Kannst du mir deine Telefonzahl geben? (Can you give me your phone number? - Accusative, Singular)
- Die Zahl der Arbeitslosen ist gesunken. (The number of unemployed people has decreased. - Nominative, Singular, with genitive attribute)
- Wir müssen uns mit den neuesten Zahlen beschäftigen. (We have to deal with the latest figures. - Dative, Plural)
- Das Ergebnis wird in Zahlen ausgedrückt. (The result is expressed in numbers. - Dative, Plural)
- Aufgrund einer geringen Zahl von Anmeldungen wurde der Kurs abgesagt. (Due to a low number of registrations, the course was cancelled. - Genitive, Singular)
💡 How to use "die Zahl"?
"Die Zahl" is a very common word in German. Here are some typical contexts:
- Mathematics & Counting: Die Zahl Pi ist irrational. (The number Pi is irrational.), Kinder lernen früh die Zahlen von 1 bis 10. (Children learn the numbers from 1 to 10 early on.)
- Quantities: Often used with adjectives like groß (large), klein (small), zunehmend (increasing), sinkend (decreasing). Example: Eine steigende Zahl von Touristen besucht die Stadt. (An increasing number of tourists visit the city.)
- Statistics & Business: Here, often in the plural ("Zahlen") as a synonym for data or key figures. Example: Die Quartalszahlen des Unternehmens waren positiv. (The company's quarterly figures were positive.)
- Identification: Phone numbers, house numbers, etc. Example: Meine Hausnummer ist die Zahl 23. (My house number is the number 23.)
Distinctions:
- Ziffer vs. Zahl: A Ziffer is a digit (0-9), while a Zahl is the abstract value or a combination of digits (e.g., 123).
- Nummer vs. Zahl: A Nummer (also 'die') often serves for identification or ordering (Hausnummer - house number, Telefonnummer - phone number, Platznummer - seat number), whereas Zahl emphasizes the mathematical value or quantity more. The distinction can sometimes be blurry.
- Anzahl vs. Zahl: Anzahl (die) specifically emphasizes the quantity of a group (die Anzahl der Teilnehmer - the number of participants), while Zahl can also refer to the abstract value. However, Eine große Zahl von Teilnehmern (A large number of participants) is also correct.
🧠 Memory Aids for "die Zahl"
Article Mnemonic: Many mathematical or financial terms in German are feminine (die Rechnung - the bill, die Summe - the sum). Think of numbers belonging to this 'accounting' group – hence, die Zahl.
Meaning Mnemonic: "Zahl" sounds a bit like the English word "tall". Imagine measuring how tall something is using numbers. Or connect it to the related German verb "zählen" (to count). What you count ("zählst") is a Zahl.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "Zahl"
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Nummer (die): Often interchangeable, especially for identifiers (Telefonnummer).
- Ziffer (die): Refers to the symbol (0-9).
- Anzahl (die): Emphasizes quantity, amount.
- Menge (die): Similar to Anzahl (amount, quantity).
- Quantität (die): Technical term for quantity/amount.
- Wert (der): More general, can also be non-numerical (value).
- Kennzahl (die) / Kennziffer (die): Specific to statistics/economics (key figure).
- Größe (die): In a mathematical/physical sense (magnitude, size).
⚠️ Be aware: Although similar, Ziffer, Nummer, and Anzahl are not always perfect substitutes for Zahl.
😄 A Little Number Joke
Warum hatte die Zahl 6 Angst vor der Zahl 7?
Weil 7 8 9!
(Why was the number 6 afraid of the number 7? Because 7 8 9! - This is a pun playing on 'eight' sounding like 'ate'. It works better in English but is known in German due to the number sequence 'sieben acht neun'.)
📜 Poem about Numbers
Die Zahl, mal groß, mal klein, (The number, sometimes big, sometimes small,)
schleicht sich in unser Leben ein. (creeps into our lives.)
Sie zählt die Stunden, zählt das Geld, (It counts the hours, counts the money,)
ordnet die ganze weite Welt. (orders the whole wide world.)
Von Eins bis Unendlich, klar und rein, (From one to infinity, clear and pure,)
kann Freund und auch Bedrohung sein. (it can be a friend and also a threat.)
Versteckt in Code, Datum, Frist, (Hidden in code, date, deadline,)
die Zahl man niemals ganz vergisst. (the number one never quite forgets.)
❓ Number Riddle
Ich habe keinen Körper, doch besitze einen Wert.
Mal bin ich grade, mal ungrade, hab dich oft belehrt.
Ich kann addiert, subtrahiert, geteilt und multipliziert werden,
ohne mich gäb's keine Konten, keine Maße auf Erden.
Was bin ich?
(I have no body, but possess a value.
Sometimes I'm even, sometimes odd, I've often taught you.
I can be added, subtracted, divided, and multiplied,
without me, there'd be no accounts, no measurements worldwide.
What am I?)
Lösung/Solution: Die Zahl (The Number)
➕ Other Information about "Zahl"
- Etymology: The word "Zahl" comes from the Old High German "zala", meaning "notch, row, enumeration". It's related to the English "tale" (story, originally also count) and the German verb "zählen" (to count).
- Compound Words: There are many compound words with "Zahl", e.g.:
- Zahlung (die) - payment
- Zahlenwert (der) - numerical value
- Zahlensystem (das) - number system (e.g., decimal system)
- Postleitzahl (die) - postal code / zip code
- Einwohnerzahl (die) - population number
- Glückszahl (die) - lucky number
- Idioms:
- Schwarze Zahlen schreiben: To be in the black (make a profit).
- Rote Zahlen schreiben: To be in the red (make a loss).
- Zahlen lügen nicht: Numbers don't lie (often used ironically).
- Unzählig: Countless, innumerable.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Zahl?
The German word Zahl is always feminine. The correct article is die Zahl. The plural is die Zahlen.