Key points about numbers and dates
A A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning. is a group of letters which are added to the end of a word to change its meaning.
Is any number used in counting or in showing how many such as two, forty, sixty-three. are used for counting and to indicate how many of something exist.
A suffix can be added to a cardinal number to change it into a date or an ordinal number.
An ordinal number indicates the position or order of something in relation to other numbers, such as first, second, third. are used to show the date, position or order of something in relation to something else. For example: first, second, third.
Video
Watch this video to learn more about how to talk about numbers and dates in German.
Key phrases to use when talking about the days and months in German
Days and months in German
Welcher Tag ist heute? What day is it today?
Heute ist… Montag.
Tag is the word for day and it’s a masculine noun so it’s der Tag.
And all the other nouns ending in Tag are also masculine.
Like Montag and Dienstag - Monday and Tuesday.
And der Geburtstag - birthday - are all masculine nouns
And if you want to say ‘What’s the date today?’
It’s Welches Datum ist heute?
If you say dates you use the words for 'first, second, third' - erste, zweite, dritte and so on with der in front of them.
Heute ist der siebte Juni - Today is the seventh of June.
You might be asked Wann hast du Geburtstag? - When is your birthday?
To say on a date you use am.
Ich habe am zehnten Januar Geburtstag - My birthday is on the tenth of January.
Check your understanding
How to form an ordinal number
Form an ordinal number such as first, second, eighth, twentieth by adding the suffix -te or -ste to the end of the number.
If the number is between the 1st and 19th -te is added to the number:
fünf → fünftefifth
zehn → zehntetenth
neunzehn → neunzehntenineteenth
However, there are some additional spelling changes for the following numbers:
eins → erstefirst
drei → drittethird
sieben → siebteseventh
acht → achteeighth
If the number is from the 20th onwards -ste is added to the number:
zwanzig → zwanzigste20th
einundzwanzig → einundzwanzigste21st
dreißig → dreißigste30th
Remember:
When writing ordinal numbers in German use a full stop after the number to represent -st, -nd, -rd or -th.
For example: Am 2. April → on the 2nd of April.
Mini quiz
What is the ordinal number of this German word?
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Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.
Ordinal numbers, dates and cases
Ordinal numbers in German are also affected by The case shows how nouns function in a sentence and relate to other words. They indicate who is doing an action, who owns something, and who is affected by an action. A preposition can also dictate which case to use..
Ordinal numbers are used like An adjective is a describing word. in German. Along with adding -te or -ste to the number, use a case ending to show the All nouns can be masculine, feminine or neuter. and number.
This is commonly seen when forming dates.
For example:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - Today is the second of May.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. - My birthday is on the second of May.
*am is an abbreviation of an+demon the which is in the dative case.
Ordinal endings when using the The definite article means 'the'. The definite article changes depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, neuter or plural. are:
| masculine | feminine | neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second man | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second woman | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second child |
| accusative | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second man | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second woman | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second child |
| dative | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second man | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second woman | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. the second child |
Ordinal endings when using the The indefinite article means ‘a’ or ‘an’. The indefinite article changes depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, neuter or plural. are:
| masculine | feminine | neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second man | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second woman | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second child |
| accusative | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second man | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second woman | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second child |
| dative | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second man | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second woman | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. a second child |
Examples:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.I live on the third floor.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.We would like a second dog.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.My birthday is on the 31st of March.
Mini quiz
- What can be used to abbreviate a date in German?
A full stop
- Translate am into English.
on the (an + dem eg am vierten Dezember)
Quiz
Check your understanding on ordinal numbers, dates and cases when talking about numbers and dates.
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