letzter

Letzter is a German adjective meaning last, final, or concluding. It is used to indicate position in a sequence or to refer to the most recent in a series. The form is inflected according to German grammar, and it has both attributive and nominal uses.

Declension and forms. Like other German adjectives, letzter changes endings depending on case, number, and article or determiner. In the strong (no determiner) form, the nominative singular endings are typically: masculine let ster, feminine letzte, neuter letz tes, and plural letzte. In everyday usage, you will often see phrases such as der letzte Mann, die letzte Nacht, das letzte Mal, die letzten Tage. With a definite article or other determiner that triggers weak declension, the endings are: der letzte Mann, die letzte Nacht, das letzte Mal, die letzten Tage. The feminine and neuter forms align with the standard -e/-es patterns (e.g., letzte Nacht, letztes Mal). Other cases follow the same pattern with corresponding endings.

Derived and related uses. Letzter can also appear as a noun in capitalized form, typically as der Letzte (the last one) or das Letzte (the last thing). The adverb zuletzt is related and means “lastly” or “finally.” The word is also used in compound forms and established phrases such as zuletzt, letztlich, and im letzten Moment.

Usage notes. Letzter describes temporal finality or order in time, as in der letzte Tag des Jahres or die letzte Gelegenheit. It is distinct from zuletzt (an adverb) and from spät, which emphasizes lateness rather than sequence. Proper inflection is essential for correct grammar in sentences.