Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson covers Dutch ordinal numbers (rangtelwoorden) like eerste (first), derde (third), and twintigste (twentieth), teaching their special forms and correct suffixes used to indicate order in dates and rankings.
  1. Up to negentiende, the ordinal number is formed by adding -de to the cardinal number.
  2. From twintigste onwards, -ste is used, like twintigste.
Rangtelwoord (Ordinal number)Rangtelwoord (Ordinal number)Rangtelwoord (Ordinal number)
Eerste (First)Elfde (eleventh)Twintigste (Twentieth)
Tweede (Second)Twaalfde (Twelfth)Dertigste (Thirtieth)
Derde (Third)Dertiende (Thirteenth)Veertigste (Fortieth)
Vierde (Fourth)Veertiende (Fourteenth)Vijftigste (Fiftieth)
Vijfde (Fifth)Vijftiende (Fifteenth)Zestigste (Sixtieth)
Zesde (Sixth)Zestiende (Sixteenth)Zeventigste (Seventieth)
Zevende (Seventh)Zeventiende (Seventeenth)Tachtigste (eightieth)
Achtste (Eighth)Achttiende (Eighteenth)Negentigste (Ninetieth)
Negende (Ninth)Negentiende (Nineteenth)Honderdste (hundredth)
Tiende (Tenth)  

Exceptions!

  1. In the first, third, eighth the form deviates.

Exercise 1: Rangtelwoorden

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Negentigste, zesentwintigste, achtste, vierde, derde, zestigste, tweede, eerste

1. 26:
De hoeveelste is het vandaag? Het is de ....
(What date is it today? It is the twenty-sixth.)
2. 8:
Het is de ... keer dat ik hier ben.
(It is the eighth time that I have been here.)
3. 2:
Mijn zoon viert zijn ... verjaardag.
(My son is celebrating his second birthday.)
4. 90:
Mijn opa viert zijn ... verjaardag morgen.
(My grandad is celebrating his ninetieth birthday tomorrow.)
5. 4:
We beginnen de ... oktober met het project.
(We start on the fourth of October with the project.)
6. 60:
Veel piloten gaan op hun ... al met pensioen.
(Many pilots retire at sixty.)
7. 1:
Het is vandaag de ... juni.
(Today is the first of June.)
8. 3:
Mijn zoon is ... geworden in de zwemwedstrijd.
(My son came third in the swimming competition.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Hij woont op de ___ verdieping van het gebouw.

(He lives on the ___ floor of the building.)

2. Vandaag is het de ___ van mei.

(Today is the ___ of May.)

3. Hij is vandaag twintig jaar oud, het is zijn ___ verjaardag.

(He is twenty years old today, it is his ___ birthday.)

4. De ___ werknemer heeft het bedrijf verlaten.

(The ___ employee has left the company.)

5. Zij nam de ___ trein naar Amsterdam.

(She took the ___ train to Amsterdam.)

6. Hij vierde zijn ___ verjaardag met zijn vrienden.

(He celebrated his ___ birthday with his friends.)

Understanding Ordinal Numbers in Dutch

This lesson covers ordinal numbers in Dutch, which are used to indicate position or order, such as dates, ages, or rankings.

What Are Ordinal Numbers?

Ordinal numbers denote order. Examples include words like eerste (first), tweede (second), and derde (third). You use them when talking about sequences or ranking.

Formation of Ordinal Numbers

  • From 1 to 19, most ordinal numbers are formed by adding -de to the cardinal number: tien (10) becomes tiende (10th).
  • From 20 onwards, the suffix changes to -ste: e.g., twintig (20) becomes twintigste (20th).
  • Some numbers have irregular forms, especially eerste (first), derde (third), and achtste (eighth).

Examples of Common Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal NumberOrdinal NumberOrdinal Number
eersteelfdetwintigste
tweedetwaalfdedertigste
derdedertiendeveertigste
vierdeveertiendevijftigste
vijfdevijftiendezestigste
zesdezestiendezeventigste
zevendezeventiendeachtigste
achtsteachttiendenegentigste
negendenegentiendehonderdste
tiende  

Usage Highlights

  • Ordinal numbers often appear when stating floors, dates, birthdays, and rankings.
  • They are an essential part of everyday communication in Dutch.
  • Irregular forms like eerste, derde, and achtste need special attention.

Comparing Dutch Ordinal Numbers with English

In English, ordinal numbers are typically formed by adding the suffix -th (e.g., fourth, fifth), except for some irregular forms like first, second, and third. In Dutch, the suffixes -de and -ste apply differently depending on the number range, and specific numbers have unique forms.

Useful phrases include:

  • derde verdieping – third floor
  • vijfde van mei – fifth of May
  • twintigste verjaardag – twentieth birthday

Understanding these differences will help beginners grasp ordinal numbers effectively in Dutch.

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 19:26