German Grammar A–Z
Look up German grammar topics A–Z, organized by category and level — with clear explanations and examples.
Units of Measurement (Maßeinheiten)
Every language has its own way of expressing systems of units of measurement. In today's article, we will learn about the important units of measurement in German.
Let's get started!!!
1. List of important units of measurement in German
|
Einheit |
Name |
|
km |
Kilometer |
|
m |
Meter |
|
cm |
Zentimeter |
|
mm |
Millimeter |
|
μm |
Mikrometer |
|
ha |
Hektar |
|
m2 |
Quadratmeter |
|
m3 |
Kubikmeter |
|
l |
Liter |
|
ml |
Milliliter |
|
t |
Tonne |
|
kg |
Kilogramm |
|
g |
Gramm |
|
mg |
Milligramm |
|
h |
Stunde |
|
min |
Minute |
|
s |
Sekunde |
|
km/h |
Stundenkilometer |
|
0 |
Celcius |
2. Equivalence of measurement units: zwei Glas Bier oder zwei Gläser Bier?
- When ‘Glas’ means a unit of measurement (similar to Meter, Kilo, Liter), we must write it in the singular: zwei Glas Bier
- When ‘Glas’ means an object, a physical item (a glass), we must use its plural form: zwei Gläser Bier
!!! Note: This distinction applies only to masculine and neuter nouns (ein Becher, ein Kasten,....). Feminine nouns are always written in the plural form: Ich trinke zwei Tassen Kaffee.
