dreizehn

Dreizehn is the German word for the number 13. It is a cardinal numeral formed by combining drei (three) and zehn (ten). In standard German, the numerals from 13 to 19 are typically built in this way, though some forms undergo mild phonetic changes (for example sechzehn, siebzehn) while others are irregular at the lower teens (elf for 11 and zwölf for 12). The word dreizehn appears in written and spoken German to denote the quantity thirteen.

Etymology and form: The term derives from the Germanic counting tradition, with roots in Old High German drîz and the word for ten, zehan or zehn. The compound reflects the general pattern of combining a base numeral with zehn to form numbers in the teens. The spelling and pronunciation are regular in modern German, yielding [ˈdʁaɪt͡sən] (roughly “DRY-tsen”).

Usage: Dreizehn is used as a cardinal number, as in dreizehn Jahre alt (thirteen years old) or der Preis ist dreizehn Euro (the price is thirteen euros). The ordinal form is dreizehnte (thirteenth) and the masculine singular nominative form of the ordinal is dreizehnter. In dates, one can say am dreizehnten Tag des Monats or am 13. Tag des Monats.

Notable properties: In mathematics, 13 is a prime number. In language, dreizehn participates in the regular German pattern of composing numbers in the teens and follows standard declension rules when used with nouns. See also: elf (11), zwölf (12), vierzehn (14).