German · Time, Numbers & Colors
"One" in German: eins
eins
One in German is eins when you count alone: eins, zwei, drei. Before a noun it becomes ein or eine: ein Apfel, eine Frage.
How to pronounce eins: audio and sound guideCounting aloud
Eins, zwei, drei — fertig.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce eins
Say it
ines
/aɪ̯ns/
ines. Soft s at the end when counting.
"One" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| eins | one (counting) Standalone number. | Standalone number. |
| ein / eine | one / a Before nouns. | Before nouns. |
| Nummer eins | number one Ranking. | Ranking. |
| eins zu null | one to zero Scores. | Scores. |
How to use eins in real life
- 1Counting aloud
Eins, zwei, drei — fertig.
One, two, three — done.
Standalone eins.
- 2Sports score
Wir führen eins zu null.
We're leading one to zero.
Eins zu null.
- 3Queue ticket
Ich bin Nummer eins heute.
I'm number one today.
Nummer eins.
Mistakes English speakers make with eins
Incorrect: eins Apfel
Correct: ein Apfel
Before nouns use ein/eine, not counting eins.
Incorrect: eine (when counting alone)
Correct: eins
Standalone counting form is eins.
Good to know
Good to knowPhone numbers and PIN codes use eins for 1. On clocks, ein Uhr is one o'clock, but counting starts eins, zwei, drei.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Starting a countdown
ChatPal
Zähl du: eins…
You count: one…
You
Eins, zwei — warte kurz.
One, two — wait a sec.
ChatPal
Okay, nochmal bei eins.
Okay, again from one.
You
Eins! Jetzt.
One! Now.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"One" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "One" in German
When is it eins vs ein?
Eins alone when counting; ein/eine before a noun.
Number one?
Nummer eins.
One o'clock?
Ein Uhr.
1–0 score?
Eins zu null.
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