der Zehner
tenner
A banknote worth ten units of currency, usually ten euros.
EXAMPLE
Hast du vielleicht einen Zehner für den Kaffeeautomaten?
Do you maybe have a tenner for the coffee machine?
der Zehner
tenner / number ten
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
der Zehner
number ten
In football, the position of the central attacking midfielder or playmaker, who often wears the number 10 jersey.
EXAMPLE
Die Mannschaft braucht einen kreativen Zehner, um mehr Torchancen zu kreieren.
The team needs a creative number ten to create more scoring chances.
der Zehner
the ten
Something marked with the number 10, e.g. a bus line, a playing card, or a diving platform.
EXAMPLE
Er sprang mutig vom Zehner ins Wasser.
He bravely jumped into the water from the ten-meter platform.
der Zehner
ten-mark note / coin
A banknote or coin worth ten marks, the historical German currency.
EXAMPLE
Meine Oma hat mir erzählt, dass sie früher für einen Zehner einen ganzen Einkaufskorb füllen konnte.
My grandma told me that in the past she could fill a whole shopping basket for a ten-mark note.
Usage tips
Word formation
'Der Zehner' (tenner / number ten) is derived from the number 'zehn' (ten) with the suffix '-er'. This pattern is often used in German to form nouns from numbers, often referring to banknotes or coins.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir einen Fünfer und einen Zehner für die Parkuhr geben?
Can you give me a fiver and a tenner for the parking meter?
Context clues
Since 'der Zehner' (tenner / number ten) has many meanings, context is crucial. Watch for signal words: 'bezahlen' (to pay) or 'wechseln' (to change money) point to money, 'Mannschaft' (team) or 'Spielmacher' (playmaker) to football, and 'springen' (to jump) or 'Schwimmbad' (swimming pool) to the diving platform.
EXAMPLE
Der neue Spieler ist ein klassischer Zehner mit viel Übersicht.
The new player is a classic number ten with great vision.
Colloquial usage
In everyday life, 'der Zehner' (the tenner) is a very common colloquial term for a ten-euro note. It is often used when shopping or in a café.
EXAMPLE
Entschuldigung, können Sie mir einen Fünfziger in Zehner wechseln?
Excuse me, can you change a fifty into tens for me?
Context: football
This meaning is used exclusively in a football context. It refers to the position of the playmaker in attacking midfield, who traditionally wears the number 10 jersey.
EXAMPLE
Seit der Starspieler verletzt ist, fehlt der Mannschaft ein echter Zehner.
Since the star player has been injured, the team has been missing a real number ten.
Typical expression
A fixed expression is 'vom Zehner springen' (to jump from the ten-meter platform). This refers to jumping from the 10-meter diving tower at a swimming pool.
EXAMPLE
Nur die mutigsten Kinder trauten sich, vom Zehner zu springen.
Only the bravest children dared to jump from the ten-meter platform.
Compare with
Zehner vs zehn
ten
Zehn states the number or comes after the name of an object as its number. Zehner, on the other hand, can itself refer to an object marked with the number 10. That is why one can say “Buslinie zehn” (bus line ten), but also simply call the same line “den Zehner” (the number ten).
Zehner
Wir nehmen heute den Zehner zum Bahnhof.
We’re taking the number ten to the station today.
zehn
Wir nehmen heute die Buslinie zehn zum Bahnhof.
We’re taking bus line ten to the station today.
In real life
Loading video examples...