zwo

German

Etymology

From Old High German zwō, from Proto-Germanic *tw(a)ōz (see *twai), from Proto-Indo-European. Zwo is originally the feminine form, but is now used as a variant of zwei without gender distinction. Compare, however, Luxembourgish zwou, which is still a feminine form of zwéin. The same is true of some German dialects, e.g. in Switzerland. More at two.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /t͡svoː/
  • (file)

Numeral

zwo

  1. two

Usage notes

  • Zwei is the usual German word for "two", but zwo is sometimes used as more clearly distinguishable from drei (three), especially over the telephone and in military parlance. Outside of these contexts, it is used chiefly in southern Germany and Austria.

Synonyms

Coordinate terms

Further reading

  • zwo in Duden online
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