Nummern

Nummern is the plural form of the German noun Nummer, meaning numbers when used as labels or identifiers rather than mathematical quantities. In everyday German, Nummern appear whenever items are labeled, ordered, or cataloged—for example Telefonnummern (phone numbers), Hausnummern (house numbers), Bestellnummern (order numbers), and Sitznummern (seat numbers).

Etymology: Nummer comes from French numéro, via Latin numerus. In German, the term for mathematical quantities is usually Zahl, while Nummer denotes a label or designation rather than a value.

Uses: In catalogs, forms, tickets, and seating plans, you will see Laufnummer, Artikelnummer, Kundennummer, or Bestellnummer—each serving as an identifier. In music or theater programs, Liednummer or Programmnummer indicates a track or item in the program. The word is common in administrative and logistical contexts, where precise identification is required.

Mathematics and terminology: In mathematical discourse, Nummer is less common; Zahl or Ziffer is used to describe numeric values. Nummern function primarily as labels that may accompany a value, such as a customer number paired with a transaction amount, but the number itself is not the concept being described by Nummer.

Grammar and usage notes: The singular is die Nummer; the plural is die Nummern. In compounds, the base word remains Nummer, but pluralization applies to the entire noun as needed. Nummern thus play a central role in labeling and organization across German-speaking contexts.