zehn
ten
The cardinal number 10; the number after nine and before eleven.
EXAMPLE
Ein Jahrzehnt dauert zehn Jahre.
A decade lasts ten years.
zehn
ten
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Meanings
zehn
ten
Used figuratively for a perfect rating or the highest score, often on a scale from one to ten.
EXAMPLE
Für diese fantastische Leistung gibt es von mir die volle Punktzahl, eine glatte Zehn!
For this fantastic performance, you get full marks from me: a perfect ten!
Usage tips
Capitalization
When 'zehn' (ten) is used as a number word (adjective), it is written in lowercase. When it is used as a noun for the digit itself, it is capitalized and has the article 'die'.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe zehn Euro in meiner Tasche.
I have ten euros in my pocket.
Word structure
'Zehn' (ten) is the basis for the numbers from 13 to 19 (e.g. 'dreizehn' — thirteen, 'vierzehn' — fourteen) and for the tens numbers (e.g. 'zwanzig' — twenty, 'dreißig' — thirty). It is also part of words like 'Jahrzehnt' (decade).
EXAMPLE
Die Konferenz findet in dreizehn Tagen statt.
The conference takes place in thirteen days.
Fixed expression
The phrase 'eine glatte Zehn' (a perfect ten) is a fixed expression. It is used to express that something is perfect or deserves the highest rating.
EXAMPLE
Deine Präsentation war super, von mir bekommst du eine glatte Zehn!
Your presentation was great; from me you get a perfect ten!
Compare with
zehn vs zehnt
tenth
Zehn directly states the number of people. Zehnt occurs in the fixed expression “zu zehnt” and describes a group of ten people doing something together. Use zehn before a counted noun and zu zehnt for the size of a group acting together.
zehn
Zehn Freunde gehen heute gemeinsam ins Kino.
Ten friends are going to the movies together today.
zehnt
Die Freunde gehen heute zu zehnt ins Kino.
The friends are going to the movies as a group of ten today.
In real life
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