A1.11: Ordinal numbers

Rangtelwoorden

Learn Dutch ordinal numbers from first to tenth with practical examples like "de eerste dag" (the first day) and "de negende verdieping" (the ninth floor). Master common expressions to describe dates, positions, and more.

Listening & reading materials

Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.

A1.11.1 Kort verhaal

Welke verdieping?

Which floor?


Vocabulary (11)

 De eerste: The first (Dutch)

De eerste

Show

The first Show

 De tweede: The second (Dutch)

De tweede

Show

The second Show

 De derde: The third (Dutch)

De derde

Show

The third Show

 De vierde: The fourth (Dutch)

De vierde

Show

The fourth Show

 De vijfde: The fifth (Dutch)

De vijfde

Show

The fifth Show

 De zesde: The sixth (Dutch)

De zesde

Show

The sixth Show

 De zevende: The seventh (Dutch)

De zevende

Show

The seventh Show

 De achtste: The eighth (Dutch)

De achtste

Show

The eighth Show

 De negende: The ninth (Dutch)

De negende

Show

The ninth Show

 De tiende: The tenth (Dutch)

De tiende

Show

The tenth Show

 Herinneren (remember) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Herinneren

Show

Remember Show

Exercises

These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.

Exercise 1: Reorder sentences

Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.

Show answers
1.
twee | juni. | verjaardag | Mijn | is | op
Mijn verjaardag is op twee juni.
(My birthday is on June two.)
2.
straat links | leidt naar | het park. | De derde
De derde straat links leidt naar het park.
(The third street on the left leads to the park.)
3.
als eerste | rij bij | de kassa. | Ik sta | in de
Ik sta als eerste in de rij bij de kassa.
(I am first in line at the checkout.)
4.
de maand | is zondag. | De achtste | dag van
De achtste dag van de maand is zondag.
(The eighth day of the month is Sunday.)
5.
woont | negende | verdieping. | Zij | de | op
Zij woont op de negende verdieping.
(She lives on the ninth floor.)
6.
negentigste | is | vandaag. | de | Hij | klant
Hij is de negentigste klant vandaag.
(He is the ninetieth customer today.)

Exercise 2: Match a word

Instruction: Match the translations

De derde verjaardag van mijn zoon vieren we met taart en vrienden. (My son's third birthday we celebrate with cake and friends.)
Op mijn kantoor zit ik op de vijfde verdieping. (At my office I am on the fifth floor.)
Mijn oma wordt morgen de negentigste verjaardag. (My grandmother turns tomorrow the ninetieth birthday.)
Tijdens de vergadering zei hij dat het vandaag de eerste dag is. (During the meeting he said that today is the first day.)

Exercise 3: Cluster the words

Instruction: Divide the following ordinal numbers into two groups: numbers from 1 to 5, and numbers from 6 to 10.

Rangtelwoorden van 1 tot en met 5

Rangtelwoorden van 6 tot en met 10

Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

De zevende


The seventh

2

De tweede


The second

3

De derde


The third

4

De negende


The ninth

5

De vijfde


The fifth

Oefening 5: Conversation exercise

Instructie:

  1. On which floor does each person live? (On which floor does each person live?)
  2. Do you live in an apartment? On which floor do you live? (Do you live in an apartment? On which floor do you live?)

Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes

Example phrases:

Stevan woont op de negende verdieping.

Stevan lives on the ninth floor.

Catherine woont op de tiende verdieping.

Catherine lives on the tenth floor.

Giulia woont op de eerste verdieping.

Giulia lives on the first floor.

Je woont in een appartement op de zesde verdieping.

You live in an apartment on the sixth floor.

Op welke verdieping woon je?

On what floor do you live?

Ik woon op de begane grond.

I live on the ground floor.

...

Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards

Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.

Exercise 7: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik __________ me de vierde vergadering goed.

(I __________ remember the fourth meeting well.)

2. Jij __________ je altijd belangrijke data.

(You __________ always remember important dates.)

3. Hij __________ zich de achtste oktober, ook al klopt de negende maand niet.

(He __________ remembers the eighth of October, even though the ninth month is not correct.)

4. Wij __________ ons dat de tiende dag van april altijd koud is.

(We __________ remember that the tenth day of April is always cold.)

Exercise 8: Memories of birthdays and weeks

Instruction:

Ik (Herinneren - Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd) me de derde verjaardag van mijn dochter heel goed. Op die dag (Organiseren - Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd) wij een feest in onze tuin. Het weer is meestal mooi in april, dat is de vierde maand van het jaar. Mijn vrienden en familie (Komen - Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd) vaak langs in die periode. Vorig jaar was het op de negende april erg zonnig. We (Herinneren - Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd) ons allemaal die fijne dag vol gezelligheid.


I remember the third birthday of my daughter very well. On that day we organize a party in our garden. The weather is usually nice in April, which is the fourth month of the year. My friends and family often come by during that period. Last year it was very sunny on the ninth of April. We all remember that wonderful day full of coziness.

Verb Tables

Herinneren - Remember

Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd

  • ik herinner
  • jij herinnert
  • hij/zij/het herinnert
  • wij herinneren
  • jullie herinneren
  • zij herinneren

Organiseren - Organize

Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd

  • ik organiseer
  • jij organiseert
  • hij/zij/het organiseert
  • wij organiseren
  • jullie organiseren
  • zij organiseren

Komen - Come

Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd

  • ik kom
  • jij komt
  • hij/zij/het komt
  • wij komen
  • jullie komen
  • zij komen

Exercise 9: Rangtelwoorden

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Grammar: Ordinal numbers

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.)

Grammar

It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!

A1.11.2 Grammatica

Rangtelwoorden

Ordinal numbers


Verb conjugation tables for this lesson

Herinneren remember

Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)

Dutch English
(ik) herinner I remember
(jij) herinnert/herinner you remember
(hij/zij/het) herinnert he/she/it remembers
(wij) herinneren we remember
(jullie) herinneren you remember
(zij) herinneren they remember

Exercises and examples phrases

Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!

Do you want to practice Dutch today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.

Enroll now!

Understanding Dutch Ordinal Numbers (Rangtelwoorden)

This lesson focuses on ordinal numbers in Dutch, which are used to indicate the position or order of things, such as dates, floors, and sequences.

What Are Ordinal Numbers?

Ordinal numbers describe the rank or sequence of objects or events. For example, words like de eerste (the first), de derde (the third), and de negende (the ninth) tell us about the order in a list, dates, or floors in a building.

Key Ordinal Numbers Covered

  • From 1 to 5: de eerste, de tweede, de derde, de vierde, de vijfde
  • From 6 to 10: de zesde, de zevende, de achtste, de negende, de tiende

These are essential for everyday situations such as giving dates, telling floors, or indicating positions in lines and queues.

Examples in Context

  • Mijn verjaardag is op twee juni. (My birthday is on June second.)
  • De derde straat links leidt naar het park. (The third street on the left leads to the park.)
  • Ik sta als eerste in de rij bij de kassa. (I am first in line at the checkout.)
  • Zij woont op de negende verdieping. (She lives on the ninth floor.)
  • Hij is de negentigste klant vandaag. (He is the ninetieth customer today.)

Practical Applications

Using Ordinal Numbers in Conversation

Ordinal numbers are very useful for discussing dates and sequences, like choosing course registration dates or talking about birthdays:

  • Wanneer is de eerste inschrijfdatum? (When is the first registration date?)
  • Mijn verjaardag is op acht april. (My birthday is on April eighth.)
  • Wie staat op de derde plaats in de rij? (Who is in the third place in the line?)

Remembering Important Dates

The lesson includes a short story about birthday memories using ordinal numbers in context, helping you relate the language to everyday experiences.

Comparison with English

In Dutch, ordinal numbers are formed with the definite article de plus the ordinal word (e.g., de eerste = the first). Unlike English, Dutch ordinals agree in gender and number but are often used with the definite article for clarity.

Some English ordinals end with '-th' (fourth, fifth), whereas Dutch has unique forms for these, like de vierde and de vijfde. Pronunciation and spelling follow set patterns that differ from English. For example, de achtste corresponds to the eighth.

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

  • verdieping – floor (in a building)
  • verjaardag – birthday
  • kassa – checkout
  • eerste – first
  • tweede – second
  • derde – third
  • vierde – fourth
  • vijfde – fifth
  • zesde – sixth
  • zevende – seventh
  • achtste – eighth
  • negende – ninth
  • tiende – tenth

These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏