twaalfde

Twaalfde is the Dutch ordinal numeral meaning the position twelve in a sequence. It functions as an adjective before a noun, as in de twaalfde dag or het twaalfde hoofdstuk, and can also be used on its own to refer to the ordinal position. The standard full form is twaalfde; when written with numerals, ordinals are commonly rendered as 12e in contemporary Dutch.

Etymology and form: twaalve is the cardinal for twelve, and -de is the ordinary suffix used to form many Dutch ordinals. The result is twaalfde in its inflected spelling, or twaalfde in the full-word form. The numeral form 12e is widely used in dates, lists, and headings, while the full word twelve-declarative form appears in prose and formal writing.

Usage: Twaalfde appears in calendars and sequences to indicate the twelfth element, day, month, or century, for example de twaalfde dag, de twaalfde maand, or de twaalfde eeuw. It also figures in rankings and ordered lists, such as de twaalfde kandidaat. In mathematical language one can say een twaalfde deel to denote one twelfth.

Notes: The term is used across contexts where order matters, from everyday dating to historical periods. It is typically declined to agree with the noun it modifies, and its position can vary with syntax. In numerical writing, 12e is a common abbreviated form, whereas the full written form is twaalfde.