zweitem

Zweitem is the dative singular inflected form of the German ordinal numeral zweiter, used when the numeral functions as an attributive adjective before a noun in the dative case. It belongs to the strong declension of adjectives, which applies when there is no determiner preceding the noun. The ending -em in zweitem marks dative and masculine or neuter gender of the modified noun. In other contexts, different endings appear (for example zweiter, zweiten, or zweite) depending on gender, number, case, and the presence of determiners or pronouns.

Zweitem is primarily a grammatical form rather than a word with independent meaning. It is used in formal or descriptive German-style phrases to express “the second [X]” in a dative construction. It is common in written German and in precise, concise phrasing where an article is omitted or where the noun is part of a fixed structure.

The form is part of German morphology and is related to other ordinal adjectives such as zweiter, zweites, zweite and their inflected forms. Learners of German should pay attention to agreement rules: adjectives take different endings depending on case, number, gender, and determiner.

See also: German grammar, adjective declension, ordinals.