trzecie

Trzecie is the neuter singular form of the Polish ordinal numeral trzeci, meaning “the third.” It is used primarily before neuter nouns or as a substantive pronoun referring to the third item in a sequence, and it appears in everyday language, literature, and formal writing.

In grammar, trzeci declines across cases, and the neuter form trzecie is the form that agrees with neuter gender nouns in the nominative and accusative singular. Other cases use trzeciego (genitive and some accusative), trzeciemu (dative and locative in some constructions), and trzecie (neuter accusative in certain contexts). As an adjective, trzecie changes with the gender and number of the noun it modifies: masculine trzeci, feminine trzecia, neuter trzecie. It can also be used as a substantive pronoun meaning “the third one.”

Common uses include phrases such as trzecie miejsce (the third place), trzecie piętro (the third floor), and trzecie dziecko (the third child). In enumerations or schedules, trzecie serves to label the position in a series. When referring to historical or political terms as a proper noun, Polish typically uses a capitalized form such as Trzecia Rzesza (The Third Reich), a fixed compound rather than the standalone trzecie.

Etymologically, trzecie derives from the base trzy (three) with the ordinal derivation that yields the third in the sequence. It forms part of the broader system of Polish ordinal numerals, which tag items by order rather than quantity.