erstes

Erstes is the neuter singular form of the German adjective erst, meaning “first” in sense of order or time. It is used mainly before neuter nouns to indicate the first in a sequence, most often in phrases without a determiner, such as erstes Mal (the first time) or erstes Jahr (the first year).

Declension and usage can vary with the presence of an article or other determiner. With a definite article or a determiner, different endings are used (for example das erste Mal). In uninflected or strongly inflected positions, the form einfachest may appear as erstes before a neuter noun in the nominative or accusative singular. In short, erst- forms adapt to case and gender as part of the German adjective declension system.

Erstes can also function as a noun when capitalized as Das Erste or Erstes, referring to the first item or thing in a given set. In this nominalized usage, it often denotes the concept of “the first one” rather than a specific grammatical attribute.

Notable usage: Das Erste is the primary public-service television channel of the ARD network in Germany, literally meaning “The First.” It has been in operation since the early 1950s and is a recognizable brand within German media.

See also: erste, erst, erstmals, erstens. These related forms cover other gender- and case-inflected variants of the same root meaning “first.”