penktas

Penktas is the Lithuanian ordinal numeral meaning “the fifth.” It denotes position in a sequence or ranking and is used as an adjective that modifies a noun. The basic masculine form is penktas; feminine forms such as penkta are used with feminine nouns, and other endings appear to reflect case and number in more complex phrases.

Etymology and grammar: Penktas is formed from the cardinal number penki (five) with the ordinal suffix -tas. Lithuanian ordinals form a regular sequence, for example first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and so on. Like other adjectives, penktas agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number, and several inflected forms appear in different grammatical contexts.

Usage: Penktas is widely used to indicate order in lists, steps, or categories. Examples include penktas elementas (the fifth element) or penktas žingsnis (the fifth step). In calendrical language, related forms such as penktadienis (Friday) derive from the same root, referring to the fifth day of the week. In prose or formal writing, the form changes to reflect the noun’s case or definiteness.

See also: penktadienis; ordinal numbers in Lithuanian; Lithuanian grammar.