Ik heb drie boeken.
English: I have three books.
- Language
- Dutch
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Zelfstandige naamwoorden en hoeveelheden
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Dutch, 'telwoorden' are words used for counting and expressing numbers. They are essential for talking about quantities, dates, prices, and order.
When to use it
Use 'telwoorden' in Dutch to count objects, mention amounts, talk about dates, give your age, or indicate the order of things (like first, second, third).
Key forms
- Cardinal numbers: een, twee, drie, vier, vijf, enz.
- Ordinal numbers: eerste, tweede, derde, vierde, vijfde, enz.
Examples
Zij is de tweede student.
English: She is the second student.
Vandaag is de vijfde juni.
English: Today is the fifth of June.
Er zijn tien mensen in de kamer.
English: There are ten people in the room.
Hij woont op de vierde verdieping.
English: He lives on the fourth floor.
Tips
- Remember that 'een' (one) is different from 'één' (the number one). The accent is used for emphasis.
- Ordinal numbers usually end with '-de' or '-ste' (e.g., derde, vierde, vijfde, zesde, tiende, twintigste).
- Numbers from 21 to 99 are written as one word: 'drieëntwintig' (23), 'vijfendertig' (35).
Exceptions and edge cases
- The ordinal numbers 'eerste' (first) and 'derde' (third) are irregular.
- For numbers ending in -t or -d, the ending can change slightly (e.g., twintigste, achtste).