Breakdown of Wir haben elf Tickets, nicht zwölf.
haben
to have
wir
we
nicht
not
das Ticket
the ticket
elf
eleven
zwölf
twelve
Questions & Answers about Wir haben elf Tickets, nicht zwölf.
Are 'elf' and 'zwölf' irregular numbers like 'eleven' and 'twelve' in English?
Yes! Just like in English, the German numbers for 11 (elf) and 12 (zwölf) have their own unique names that you just need to memorize. They don't follow a strict pattern like the higher numbers (13-19) do.
How do I pronounce 'zwölf'?
First, remember that a German z sounds like "ts", so the word starts with a "tsv" sound. For the ö with the two dots (an umlaut), shape your lips like you are going to say "o" but try to say "ee" instead.
Is 'Tickets' a German word? It looks exactly like English.
It is! German borrows many words from English. When a noun is a foreign loanword like Ticket, it usually just takes an -s to become plural, which makes it very easy for English speakers to remember.
Why is 'nicht' placed right before 'zwölf'?
In German, nicht (not) is placed directly in front of the specific thing you want to negate. Since the sentence is specifically emphasizing "not twelve" (rather than negating the verb "have"), nicht goes right before zwölf.
Learn Wir haben elf Tickets, nicht zwölf and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free