achtzig
eighty
The cardinal number 80, which comes between 79 and 81.
EXAMPLE
Meine Großmutter feiert nächste Woche ihren achtzigsten Geburtstag.
My grandmother is celebrating her eightieth birthday next week.
achtzig
eighty
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The number 'achtzig' (eighty) is made up of the base word 'acht' (eight) and the ending '-zig'. This ending is used for most multiples of ten in German (e.g., 'fünfzig' (fifty), 'sechzig' (sixty)).
EXAMPLE
Das Buch hat achtzig Seiten.
The book has eighty pages.
Number order
With two-digit numbers like 'dreiundachtzig' (83), German names the ones digit first ('drei' (three)) and then the tens digit ('achtzig' (eighty)), connected with 'und' (and).
EXAMPLE
Mein Opa ist fünfundachtzig Jahre alt.
My grandpa is eighty-five years old.
Use for decades
To refer to the decade from 1980 to 1989, you use the phrase 'in den Achtzigern' (in the eighties). This can also refer to a person's age.
EXAMPLE
In den Achtzigern war diese Art von Kleidung sehr modern.
In the eighties, this kind of clothing was very fashionable.
Compare with
achtzig vs achtzehn
eighteen
Achtzehn and achtzig sound similar when heard quickly, but they refer to different numbers. In achtzehn, the ones component acht comes before zehn; in achtzig, -zig indicates the tens number. So pay particular attention to the context and the exact pronunciation.
achtzig
Im Formular steht, dass der Teilnehmer achtzig Jahre alt ist.
The form states that the participant is eighty years old.
achtzehn
Im Formular steht, dass die Teilnehmerin achtzehn Jahre alt ist.
The form states that the participant is eighteen years old.
In real life
Loading video examples...