zesde

Zesde is the Dutch ordinal numeral that denotes the sixth position in a sequence. It is used to indicate order in time, space, or other arrangements, for example de zesde dag van de week (the sixth day of the week) or het zesde hoofdstuk (the sixth chapter).

Formation and grammar: Zesde is formed from zes (six) with the suffix -de, following common patterns for Dutch ordinals. It functions as an adjective and agrees with the definite article and noun, as in de zesde dag or het zesde jaar. When used without a definite article, it appears as een zesde to indicate “a sixth” or “one sixth,” depending on the context.

Uses beyond simple order: As a substantive, het zesde can refer to the sixth item in a set, though more often the accompanying noun clarifies the meaning. The expression een zesde is widely used to denote a fraction, meaning one sixth of something (een zesde deel van het bedrag, for example).

Educational context: In school systems, zesde is used to denote the sixth year or grade of a curriculum, such as het zesde leerjaar or het zesde jaar, with exact naming varying by country and school structure.

In other fields, zesde can appear in musical and theoretical contexts to indicate the sixth degree or interval, such as de zesde graad in a scale or the sixth interval between pitches.