How many grams are in one dekagram?

One dekagram equals exactly 10 grams. The prefix 'deka-' means ten in Greek.

Why do Austrians use dekagrams instead of grams?

When Austria adopted the metric system in 1871, the dekagram found a natural niche as a portion-sized unit for food. '15 Deka' is faster to say than '150 Gramm' at a busy deli counter, and the scale matches typical serving sizes for meats and cheeses.

Is the dekagram used outside of food?

In Austria, the dekagram is primarily a food unit. Non-food items are weighed in grams or kilograms, just as in other metric countries. The dekagram's domain is the deli counter, the butcher shop, and the bakery.

Dekagrams to Grams (dag to g) Converter

1 dag = 10 g

1 Dekagram equals 10 Grams (1 dag = 10 g). Convert Dekagrams to Grams with formula, table, and examples.

One dekagram equals exactly 10 grams. This is the definitional relationship: 'deka-' (sometimes spelled 'deca-') means ten, so a dekagram is by definition ten grams. While the gram dominates global measurement and the kilogram handles larger quantities, the dekagram occupies a cultural niche as the preferred food-shopping unit in Austria and parts of Central Europe.

How to Convert Dekagrams to Grams

g = dag × 10

Multiply the value in Dekagrams by 10

Take your value in Dekagrams
Multiply by 10
Read the result in Grams

Common Dekagrams to Grams Conversions

Dekagrams (dag)	Grams (g)	Status
0.1 dag	1 g
0.25 dag	2.5 g
0.5 dag	5 g
1 dag	10 g
2 dag	20 g
3 dag	30 g
5 dag	50 g
10 dag	100 g
15 dag	150 g
20 dag	200 g
25 dag	250 g
30 dag	300 g
50 dag	500 g
75 dag	750 g
100 dag	1,000 g
250 dag	2,500 g
500 dag	5,000 g
1,000 dag	10,000 g

Good to Know About Dekagrams to Grams Conversion

The dekagram is a living reminder that measurement systems reflect culture as much as mathematics. Austria, Germany, and Switzerland all use the metric system, but only Austria retained the dekagram for daily use. This is not a matter of education or policy - it is a matter of identity. Ordering in Deka is an Austrian act, the way ordering in pints is a British one. Measurement units carry cultural DNA.

Dekagrams to Grams: What You Need to Know

Austrian supermarket price labels commonly show prices per dekagram: '0.35 per Deka' for cheese or '0.18 per Deka' for cold cuts. Converting to grams just means multiplying by 10. A '15-Deka' portion of Emmentaler is 150 grams, and a '20-Deka' order of Leberkäse is 200 grams. For Austrian shoppers, the dekagram is as natural as the gram is for Germans next door.

What is a Dekagram? dag

A dekagram (also decagram) is 10 grams. While rarely used in most countries, it is the standard unit for buying food at delicatessens in Austria, where it is called 'Deka'.

Metric Austrian food shopping delicatessen trade

Learn more about Dekagram →

What is a Gram? g

A metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a kilogram. Widely used in cooking, nutrition labeling, and science.

Metric cooking nutrition labels postal weight

Learn more about Gram →

Going the other way? Use our Grams to Dekagrams converter.

Dekagrams to Grams FAQ

One dekagram equals exactly 10 grams. The prefix 'deka-' means ten in Greek.
When Austria adopted the metric system in 1871, the dekagram found a natural niche as a portion-sized unit for food. '15 Deka' is faster to say than '150 Gramm' at a busy deli counter, and the scale matches typical serving sizes for meats and cheeses.
In Austria, the dekagram is primarily a food unit. Non-food items are weighed in grams or kilograms, just as in other metric countries. The dekagram's domain is the deli counter, the butcher shop, and the bakery.

Non-Frequently Asked Questions About Dekagrams to Grams

Questions nobody should ask - but someone did.

Most Germans know that 'Deka' is an Austrian thing but might need a moment to convert. A German hearing '20 Deka Schinken' would calculate: 20 times 10 equals 200 grams. After a few visits to Vienna, the conversion becomes automatic. After a few years, some Germans reportedly start thinking in Deka themselves.
Given that its primary application is ordering ham, cheese, Sachertorte, and Leberkäse, the dekagram has a stronger association with delicious food than any other unit of measurement. The gram is too clinical. The kilogram is too bulky. The dekagram is the Goldilocks unit of gastronomy.
Both are correct. 'Deka-' is the German and newer international spelling, while 'deca-' follows older French and English convention. The International Bureau of Weights and Measures accepts both. In Austria, you will only ever see 'Deka' or the abbreviation 'dag/dkg' - the French spelling would be considered a cultural affront.