Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the order or sequence of things. They are essential when discussing dates, holidays, floors in a building, and similar topics. Let's delve into how to form and use ordinal numbers in German.
Take your time to understand the lesson before moving on to another lesson, and I advise you to read the lesson again to understand it well.
Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the order or sequence of things. They are essential when discussing dates, holidays, floors in a building, and similar topics. Let's delve into how to form and use ordinal numbers in German.
Ordinal numbers are a crucial part of language learning, allowing us to express the order or position of elements within a sequence. Let's delve into how ordinal numbers are formed and used in German.
Number | Ordinal Number | Example |
---|---|---|
1 | erste | der erste Mann (the first man) |
2 | zweite | das zweite Buch (the second book) |
3 | dritte | die dritte Person (the third person) |
4 | vierte | der vierte Tag (the fourth day) |
5 | fünfte | das fünfte Element (the fifth element) |
10 | zehnte | der zehnte Geburtstag (the tenth birthday) |
20 | zwanzigste | die zwanzigste Seite (the twentieth page) |
Ordinal numbers from 1 to 19 are formed by adding "der," "die," or "das" before the number, followed by "-te." For example, "der vierte Mann" means "the fourth man."
For numbers from 20 upwards, "der," "die," or "das" is added before the number, followed by "-ste." For instance, "die zwanzigste Idee" translates to "the twentieth idea."
There are some irregular ordinals, such as "erste" for "first," "dritte" for "third," "siebte" for "seventh," and "achte" for "eighth."
It's important to note that depending on the gender of the noun, "der," "die," or "das" is added before the ordinal number. For example, "die zweite Frau" means "the second woman," where "die Frau" is feminine.
In German, both cardinal numbers (Numerical numbers) and ordinal numbers play essential roles in everyday communication. Let's explore the cardinal and ordinal numbers from 1 to 1000 and beyond.
Numerical Number | Cardinal Number | Ordinal Number |
---|---|---|
1 | eins | erste |
2 | zwei | zweite |
3 | drei | dritte |
4 | vier | vierte |
5 | fünf | fünfte |
6 | sechs | sechste |
7 | sieben | siebte |
8 | acht | achte |
9 | neun | neunte |
10 | zehn | zehnte |
11 | elf | elfte |
12 | zwölf | zwölfte |
13 | dreizehn | dreizehnte |
14 | vierzehn | vierzehnte |
15 | fünfzehn | fünfzehnte |
16 | sechzehn | sechzehnte |
17 | siebzehn | siebzehnte |
18 | achtzehn | achtzehnte |
19 | neunzehn | neunzehnte |
20 | zwanzig | zwanzigste |
21 | einundzwanzig | einundzwanzigste |
30 | dreißig | dreißigste |
31 | einunddreißig | einunddreißigste |
40 | vierzig | vierzigste |
50 | fünfzig | fünfzigste |
60 | sechzig | sechzigste |
70 | siebzig | siebzigste |
80 | achtzig | achtzigste |
90 | neunzig | neunzigste |
100 | einhundert | einhunderste |
1000 | eintausend | eintausendste |
1000000 | Million | millionste |
In both English and German, ordinal numbers function as adjectives. In English, ordinal numbers typically end with "-th" (e.g., first, second, third), while in German, they often end with "-e" in the nominative case.
Examples:
English | German |
---|---|
the first three years | die ersten drei Jahre |
my second son | mein zweiter Sohn |
on the 17th of April | am siebzehnten April |
the 21st chapter | das einundzwanzigste Kapitel |
the third of May | der dritte Mai |
In German, ordinal numbers undergo changes in adjectival endings based on the number, gender, and case of the noun they modify.
Examples:
Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | -e | -e | -e | -e |
Accusative | -en | -e | -e | -en |
Dative | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Genitive | -en | -en | -en | -en |
For instance, "der erste Tag" (the first day) changes to "den ersten Tag" (to the first day) in the accusative case.
For a comprehensive list of ordinal numbers from 1 to 1000, including both English and German, you can download the list by clicking here. Additionally, the odd numbers in the list are highlighted to make them easier to identify.
In German, when expressing ordinal numbers, only the last part of the word is used. Let's see some examples:
Examples:
Sentence | Description | Gender | Article |
---|---|---|---|
151. Stockwerk | 151st floor | Neutral | Without article |
das hunderteinundfünfzigste Stockwerk | the 151st floor | Neutral | With definite article |
When there is no noun accompanying the ordinal number, it is written with a capital letter.
Examples:
Sentence | Description | Gender | Case |
---|---|---|---|
Er lief als Erster durchs Ziel. | He ran as the first one to the finish line. | Masculine | Nominative |
Sie lief als Erste durchs Ziel. | She ran as the first one to the finish line. | Feminine | Nominative |
Ordinal numbers in German are essential for expressing order or sequence in various contexts. Here are some examples of how they are used in sentences:
German Sentence | English Translation |
---|---|
Dies ist der erste Schritt in diesem Prozess. | This is the first step in the process. |
Sein Geburtstag ist am 30. Juni. | His birthday is on the 30th of June. |
Sie ist bei der 32. Frage. | She is on the 32nd question. |
Wo befindet sich der zweite Stock? | Where is the second floor? |
Sie hat ein Zimmer im 16. Stock des Hotels. | She has a room on the 16th floor of the hotel. |
Unser Pferd belegte den vierten Platz. | Our horse finished in fourth place. |
Sie belegte den 18. Platz. | She finished in 18th place. |
Das ist das dritte Mal, dass ich Ihnen das sagen muss. | This is the third time I've had to tell you this. |
neunundzwanzigste, dreißigste, einunddreißigste, zweiunddreißigste | 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd |
Let's see how ordinal numbers can be used in a conversation:
Learning ordinal numbers in a new language like German can be challenging, but with the right techniques, you can make it easier to remember them. Here are some helpful tips:
Drinks vocabulary in German - Essential Food And Drinks Vocabulary
German Lessons: Learn German Street Vocabulary
German Lessons: Useful German Travel Phrases & Words
German Lessons: Nature Vocabulary Word List & Pronunciation
German Lessons: Hospital and Medical Vocabulary in German
German Lessons: German Restaurant Vocabulary Phrases & Words
German Lessons: Beach Vocabulary In German Words & Phrases
Zodiac Signs in German: das Tierkreiszeichen
Solar system planet names in German
Musical instruments in German with pictures
German Words For Appliances: Electrical appliances in German
German Phrases for Emergencies: Disaster Vocabulary In German
German Office Words: Office Vocabulary in German
Professions , Occupations , Jobs in German Vocabulary List
Transportation words in German
Mathematical Symbols in German: German Mathematics
Food and Fast Food Items in German - Food in German
German vocabulary - Tools and Equipment in German
German Laundry & Storage Room Vocabulary-The Utility Room
Cleaning vocabulary words in German: cleaning Tools in German
German Garden Vocabulary: garden Vocabulary in German
Bathroom vocabulary words in German: bathroom items in German
German Cooking Vocabulary: Cooking Verbs in German
German Vocabulary for Kitchen Utensils - Kitchen Tools in German
German Bedroom Vocabulary - Bedroom items in German