neljanda

Neljanda is an Estonian grammatical form that functions as the genitive singular of the ordinal adjective neljas, meaning "fourth." It is used to indicate position or order within a sequence when the accompanying noun is in Ga genitive or related case forms.

In standard usage, neljanda appears in phrases describing nouns that follow the fourth position. For example, neljanda klassi õpilane means “a student of the fourth grade,” and neljanda koha saanud sportlane means “the athlete who earned fourth place.” The form is also common in contexts such as competitions, rankings, and hierarchical lists, where the genitive or possessive relation to the noun is implied through the ordinal form.

Morphology and grammar: neljanda is the genitive singular form of neljas (the fourth). It appears before nouns that are themselves declined, often in phrases where the noun is in genitive or another dependent case. This pattern is typical of Estonian ordinal adjectives, which decline to match the case and number of the noun they modify.

Usage notes: neljanda should be used with Estonian nouns in contexts that require a genitive or dependent construction, particularly in phrases expressing belonging, measurement, or ranking. While it functions as a grammatical form rather than a standalone word, it is a common and standard part of everyday Estonian.

See also: ordinal numbers in Estonian; neljas; noun phrases with numera ordinals.