zwölften

Zwölften is the plural form of the German ordinal zwölfte, used to denote the twelfth position in a sequence when referring to multiple items. It exists as a declined form that follows the rules of German grammar for ordinals in the plural and with definite articles.

Declension and forms

- Nominative plural: die zwölften

- Accusative plural: die zwölften

- Dative plural: den zwölften

- Genitive plural: der zwölften

These forms appear when the noun being described is plural and/or the phrase includes a definite article. The stem zwölft- reflects the base ordinal for twelve.

Usage

Zwölften is used to indicate the twelfth item or position in various contexts, such as rankings, sequences, or calendar-related phrases. Examples:

- Die zwölften Plätze wurden vergeben. (The twelfth places were awarded.)

- Der Termin läuft am zwölften des Monats ab. (The appointment expires on the twelfth of the month.)

Zwölften can also appear in headings or labels referring to the twelfth item in a set, especially in formal or descriptive writing.

Relation to related terms

Zwölften is closely related to zwölf (the number twelve) and the ordinal zwölfte. It is important to distinguish zwölften from Zwölftel, which denotes one twelfth as a fraction. Zwölftel is a fractional unit, whereas zwölften denotes ordinal position in plural form.

Etymology

The word derives from zwölf (twelve) combined with the ordinal suffix -te; in the plural, the ending adapts to die zwölften and related case forms. This mirrors common patterns for German ordinals when used with definite articles.