Hij woont op de derde verdieping.
English: He lives on the third floor.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Zelfstandige naamwoorden en hoeveelheden
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'rangtelwoorden' are ordinal numbers. They show the position of something in a sequence (like first, second, third).
When to use it
Use 'rangtelwoorden' in Dutch to indicate order, such as dates, rankings, floors in a building, or steps in a process.
Key forms
- eerste (first)
- tweede (second)
- derde (third)
- vierde (fourth), vijfde (fifth), zesde (sixth), etc.
- For most numbers, add '-de' or '-ste' to the number word.
Examples
Dit is mijn eerste keer in Nederland.
English: This is my first time in the Netherlands.
Zij werd tweede in de wedstrijd.
English: She came second in the competition.
De vierde maand van het jaar is april.
English: The fourth month of the year is April.
Tips
- Most ordinal numbers are made by adding '-de' to the number, but numbers ending in -t or -d often use '-ste'.
- Remember that 'eerste', 'tweede', and 'derde' are irregular and must be memorized.
- Ordinal numbers are usually used with 'de' or 'het' (definite articles).
Exceptions and edge cases
- 'Eerste', 'tweede', and 'derde' are irregular forms.
- For numbers ending in 8 or higher, use '-ste' instead of '-de' (e.g., 'achtste', 'negende').