keenam

Keenam is the Indonesian and Malay ordinal numeral meaning the sixth. It functions as an adjective or determiner to indicate position in a sequence and can modify a noun or appear in time-related phrases, such as the sixth day or the sixth instance.

Formation and form: In Indonesian, the ordinal word for six is formed with the prefix ke- attached to the cardinal enam (six), producing keenam. This form is stable and does not require gender or case agreement, reflecting Indonesian’s analytic grammar. Keenam is used in both formal and everyday contexts to denote order or rank.

Usage: Keenam is commonly used to specify position, for example: posisi keenam (sixth position), urutan keenam (sixth in order). It also appears in temporal phrases like hari keenam (the sixth day) and in expressions of repetition, such as ini kali keenam saya mencoba (this is my sixth attempt). In Malay-speaking contexts, keenam serves the same function and can appear in similar constructions, including keenam kalinya (the sixth time).

Notes: While keenam is the standard form for the sixth, Indonesian and Malay employ a range of ordinal and multiplicative phrases that can shift word order for emphasis, such as kali keenam or keenam kalinya depending on the sentence. The term is primarily used in written Indonesian and formal speech, but remains common in everyday dialogue as well.