Ordinal Numbers with 第 — Hailu Hakka Grammar

A plain number counts; the same number with (ti+thi̊) in front of it ranks. The particle attaches directly to the numeral and turns it into first, second, third — a single regular pattern with none of the irregular forms English has.

你係第一個注意著个人！
ngi heˇ ti+ rhid gaiˇ zhuˇ rhiˇ doˊ gaiˇ nginngì he thi̊ yit kai chu yi tó kai ngìn
You are the first person to notice!
第三個登上月球个人係Pete·Conrad。
ti+ samˋ gaiˇ denˋ shongˋ ngiedˋ kiu gaiˇ ngin heˇ Pete Conradthi̊ sâm kai tên shông ngie̍t khiù kai ngìn he Pete Conrad
The third man on the moon was Pete Conrad.

With a Classifier

An ordinal behaves like any other number, so when it modifies a noun the classifier still follows, giving (ti+thi̊) + NUMBER + CLASSIFIER + NOUN.

該係本市第二好个旅館。
gai heˇ bunˊ shi+ ti+ ngi+ hoˊ gaiˇ liˋ gonˊkài he pún shi̊ thi̊ ngi̊ hó kai lî kón
That is the second-best hotel in this city.

Ranking Rather Than Counting

Because the particle marks rank, it is what distinguishes two days from the second day. The numeral is identical in both, and only (ti+thi̊) separates them.

毋係，今晡日係第二日。
m heˇ gimˋ buˋ ngid heˇ ti+ ngi+ ngidm̀ he kîm pû ngit he thi̊ ngi̊ ngit
No, today is the second day.
這係你第一日上班無？
liaˊ heˇ ngi ti+ rhid ngid shongˋ banˋ moliá he ngì thi̊ yit ngit shông pân mò
Is this your first day at work?

Counting Occasions

With a classifier for occurrences, an ordinal counts how many times something has happened, giving the third time.

這係𠊎第三擺提醒你了。
liaˊ heˇ ngai ti+ samˋ baiˊ ti siangˊ ngi leˋliá he ngài thi̊ sâm pái thì siáng ngì lê
This is the third time I've reminded you.

In Fixed Expressions

Several everyday phrases are built on an ordinal, where English also reaches for one — a first impression, or the first of something in a series.

𠊎个第一印象係佢當聰明。
ngai gaiˇ ti+ rhid rhinˇ siong+ heˇ gi dongˋ cungˋ minngài kai thi̊ yit yin sio̊ng he kì tông tshûng mìn
My first impression is that she is very smart.
第四條係最細个。
ti+ siˇ tiau heˇ zuiˇ seˇ gaiˇthi̊ si thiàu he tsui se kai
The fourth one is the smallest.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Hailu Hakka course

9 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 331. A few of them, with the words “Ordinal Numbers with 第” is about in bold:

𠊎个第一印象係佢當聰明。
ngai gaiˇ ti+ rhid rhinˇ siong+ heˇ gi dongˋ cungˋ min.ngài kai thi̊ yit yin sio̊ng he kì tông tshûng mìn.
My first impression is that she is very smart.
Lesson 333
你係第一個注意著个人！
ngi heˇ ti+ rhid gaiˇ zhuˇ rhiˇ doˊ gaiˇ ngin!ngì he thi̊ yit kai chu yi tó kai ngìn!
You are the first person to notice!
Lesson 337

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