kolmandad

Kolmandad is an Estonian term that functions as the plural form of the ordinal adjective kolmas, meaning “the third.” In ordinary usage, kolmandad can refer to the third items in a sequence or to a group described as the thirds, and it often appears in lists that enumerate positions such as esimesed (the first), teised (the second), and kolmandad (the third).

Grammatically, kolmandad can modify a plural noun (kolmandad kohad = the third places) or be used as a substantive referring to the group described as the thirds. When used with nouns, it agrees in number and case with the noun it accompanies; when used as a substantive, it can stand in for the unnamed third items in a context. The form declines by case, with the plural nominative kolmandad, genitive kolmandate, and partitive kolmandaid among others.

Etymology and related forms: kolmandad is derived from the numeral kolm (three) combined with the ordinal suffix -nd-, yielding the ordinal kolmas (the third) in singular, and kolmandad in plural. This pattern illustrates how Estonian ordinal numerals inflect for number and case, and it is part of the broader system of Estonian grammar for numerals.

See also: Estonian numbers, Estonian grammar, ordinal numerals.