Deutschkurs A1.2 Lektion 8 - Ordinalzahlen + Datum

Summary

This video explains how to speak dates in German, focusing on the use of ordinal numbers. The speaker demonstrates how to form dates such as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and beyond, with examples like 'der erste Oktober' (the first of October). The lesson also covers the correct prepositions for expressing dates and provides practice sentences to solidify understanding. The speaker emphasizes the importance of mastering these rules to communicate effectively in German, especially when referring to specific days and times.

Takeaways

• 😀 In German, dates are often expressed using ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.), such as 'der erste Oktober' (the first of October).
• 😀 The ordinal numbers in German for the first few days of the month are: erste (first), zweite (second), dritte (third), vierte (fourth), fünfte (fifth), etc.
• 😀 For dates after the first five, you use a combination of cardinal and ordinal forms, like 'zehnte' (tenth), 'zwanzigste' (twentieth), and 'dreißigste' (thirtieth).
• 😀 In German, the month and day follow a specific order when writing dates: 'der 2. Oktober' (the second of October) or 'der 10. Mai' (the tenth of May).
• 😀 When using the date in a sentence, it's common to include the 'der' before the day (e.g., 'der erste März' – the first of March).
• 😀 To indicate the year in a date, Germans typically use 'Jahr' and say 'im Jahr' (in the year), e.g., 'im Jahr 2024' (in the year 2024).
• 😀 When talking about a specific date, Germans might say 'am' (on) followed by the date, like 'am 7. Dezember' (on the 7th of December).
• 😀 In conversation, the ordinal form of numbers helps specify when something happened or will happen, such as 'am 25.10.2001' (on the 25th of October 2001).
• 😀 Ordinal numbers also apply when describing a series of events, such as 'die erste Klasse' (the first class) or 'die dritte Frage' (the third question).
• 😀 It is important to practice and be familiar with using German ordinal numbers, as they are crucial for both written and spoken communication related to dates.

Q & A

How do you express dates in German?

In German, dates are expressed using ordinal numbers. For example, 'the first of October' is 'der erste Oktober' and 'the second of October' is 'der zweite Oktober.' The pattern involves using numbers for the day of the month and adding the appropriate ordinal suffix (e.g., 'erste', 'zweite', 'dritte').

What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers in expressing dates in German?

Cardinal numbers represent the quantity (e.g., 'eins' for one), while ordinal numbers indicate position or order (e.g., 'erste' for first). In German dates, ordinal numbers are used to describe the day of the month (e.g., 'der erste Oktober' for the first of October).

Can you give an example of expressing a date using ordinal numbers in German?

Sure! 'The 10th of October' is expressed as 'der zehnte Oktober' in German. The word 'zehnte' is the ordinal form of 'zehn' (ten).

How do you say 'the 21st' in German?

The 21st is expressed as 'der einundzwanzigste' in German, which combines 'eins' (one) and 'zwanzig' (twenty) to form the ordinal number.

What does 'der dritte Oktober' mean in English?

'Der dritte Oktober' means 'the third of October' in English, with 'dritte' being the ordinal form of 'drei' (three).

How do you form the ordinal number for dates after 20 in German?

For dates after 20, the numbers are formed by combining the base number and the appropriate ordinal suffix. For example, 'the 21st' is 'der einundzwanzigste', and 'the 22nd' is 'der zweiundzwanzigste.'

How do you say 'the first of January' in German?

'The first of January' is expressed as 'der erste Januar' in German, where 'erste' is the ordinal form of 'eins' (one).

What is the correct way to say a full date in German, such as 'the 7th of December, 1998'?

'The 7th of December, 1998' would be expressed as 'der siebte Dezember, 1998' in German, with 'siebte' being the ordinal form of 'sieben' (seven).

What is the word for 'October 10th' in German?

'October 10th' is 'der zehnte Oktober' in German, with 'zehnte' as the ordinal number for 10.

What is an example of using a preposition with dates in German?

An example of using a preposition with dates in German is 'Was machst du am 7ten Dezember?' which translates to 'What are you doing on the 7th of December?' In this case, 'am' is the contraction of 'an dem,' meaning 'on the.'