negentien

Negentien is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for the number 19. In Dutch it functions as the cardinal numeral used when counting, specifying nineteen units, as in negentien mensen or negentien jaar oud. It is also commonly encountered in dates, prices, and other numeric expressions. The word is written as a single unit in modern Dutch.

Etymology and related forms: Negentien stems from historical forms that combined negen (nine) and tien (ten), essentially meaning nine and ten. This mirrors the familiar Germanic pattern seen in related languages, such as German neunzehn and Afrikaans negentien. The word is part of a broader set of Dutch teens, including elf, twaalf, dertien, veertien, vijftien, zestien, zeventien, achttien, and negentien. The ordinal form is negentiende, used for the nineteenth position or date, for example in a 19th century context.

Usage notes: As a cardinal, negentien appears in ordinary counting and in contexts where a precise quantity is stated. It is used for ages, measurements, and prices when the number nineteen is involved. In compound numbers over twenty, Dutch typically uses a different construction (for example, eenentwintig for 21), but negentien remains the standard word for 19 itself. In Belgium and the Netherlands alike, negentien is understood and used in everyday language; the term is cognate with the Afrikaans form and related to the German neunzehn.

See also: Dutch numerals, Afrikaans numbers, German numbers.