"Das Mädchen zählt Schafe."

Translation: The girl is counting sheep.

[RaymondLee10]

Is this also a German idiom for "trying to go to sleep"?

[Abendbrot]

Sheep counting is one of many methods to get tired. Some people count imaginary sheep. So it is not a phase for trying to go to sleep, but an activity some people really do.

[Hermesianax]

That's more or less what Raymond was asking, right?

Yeah, it's the same in English, German, Dutch and possibly other languages.

[DianaM]

@Abendbrot ...but it is an activity some people really do in order to induce sleep. In English, "counting sheep" is often a metaphor for going to sleep.

Irving Berlin wrote a song that starts,
"When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep..."

[ololo-518]

Sheep is singular and plural in english?

[kruvismile]

Yes.