Sechstens

Sechstens is the German adverb used to indicate the sixth item in a sequence. It belongs to a conventional set of enumerative adverbs that are often used to structure arguments or explanations: erstens, zweitens, drittens, viertens, fünftens, sechstens, sechstens commonly followed by siebtens, achtens, neuntens, zehntens. Sechstens is typically found in formal writing, academic texts, and speeches where points are presented in ordered fashion.

Etymology and form: Sechstens is formed from the numeral sechs (six) with the suffix that creates the ordinal adverb form used in enumeration. It functions as a sentence adverb or as a continuation within a list of points, without agreeing with a noun.

Usage and examples: In prose, sechstens often starts a clause to introduce the sixth consideration. For example: “Erstens ging es um die Kosten, zweitens um die Zeit, sechstens um die Qualität.” In a more direct usage: “Sechstens sollte berücksichtigt werden, wie sich die Maßnahme auf die Umwelt auswirkt.” It can appear after a semicolon or at the beginning of a new sentence in a structured argument.

Distinctions: Sechstens differs from sechsten, which is the inflected form of the adjective used before nouns (for example, “die sechsten Tage”). Sechstens remains an adverb, not an attributive modifier.

See also: Erstens, zweitens, drittens, viertens, fünftens, siebtens, achtens, neuntens, zehntens.