German · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Twelve" in German: zwölf
zwölf
Twelve in German is zwölf. Clock time is um zwölf. The ordinal is zwölfte (twelfth). At midday people often say um zwölf Uhr mittags.
Lunch plan
Wir essen um zwölf in der Kantine.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce zwölf
Say it
tsvølf
/tsvølf/
tsvølf. Soft z as ts. Ö like e in her with rounded lips.
"Twelve" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| zwölf | twelve Cardinal. | Cardinal. |
| um zwölf | at twelve Clock time. | Clock time. |
| zwölf Uhr | twelve o'clock Full time phrase. | Full time phrase. |
| zwölfte | twelfth Ordinal. | Ordinal. |
How to use zwölf in real life
- 1Lunch plan
Wir essen um zwölf in der Kantine.
We're eating at twelve in the canteen.
Um zwölf.
- 2Counting seats
Es fehlen noch zwölf Stühle.
Twelve chairs are still missing.
Zwölf + noun.
- 3New Year
Um zwölf schlagen die Glocken.
At twelve the bells ring.
Midnight or noon context.
Mistakes English speakers make with zwölf
Incorrect: um zwölfen
Correct: um zwölf / um zwölf Uhr
Say um zwölf.
Incorrect: twelve auf Deutsch: twelve
Correct: zwölf
Use zwölf.
Good to know
Zwölf Uhr can mean noon or midnight; add mittags or nachts if you need clarity. Silvester fireworks often start rechtzeitig vor zwölf.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Booking a table
ChatPal
Passt euch zwölf Uhr?
Does twelve o'clock work for you?
You
Um zwölf ist ideal.
At twelve is ideal.
ChatPal
Ich reserviere für zwölf Personen.
I'll reserve for twelve people.
You
Danke. Bis zwölf vor dem Restaurant.
Thanks. See you at twelve in front of the restaurant.
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FAQ
Common questions about "Twelve" in German
How do you say twelve?
Zwölf.
At twelve?
Um zwölf / um zwölf Uhr.
Twelfth?
Zwölfte / der zwölfte.
Noon or midnight?
Add mittags or nachts after zwölf Uhr.
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