Ordinal Numbers with 第 — Sixian Hakka Grammar

A plain number counts; the same number with (tithi) 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.

這係你第一日上班無？
iaˋ he nˇ ti idˋ ngidˋ songˊ banˊ moˇyá he ǹ thi yit ngit sông pân mò
Is this your first day at work?

With a Classifier

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

該係本市第二好个旅館。
ge he bunˋ sii ti ngi hoˋ ge liˊ gonˋke he pún sṳ thi ngi hó ke lî kón
That is the second-best hotel in this city.
第四條係盡細个。
ti xi tiauˇ he qin se gethi si thiàu he chhin se ke
The fourth one is the smallest.

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 (tithi) separates them.

毋係，今晡日係第二日。
mˇ he gimˊ buˊ ngidˋ he ti ngi ngidˋm̀ he kîm pû ngit he thi ngi ngit
No, today is the second day.

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。
iaˋ he ngaiˇ ti samˊ baiˋ tiˇ xiangˋ nˇ leˋyá he ngài thi sâm pái thì siáng ǹ lé
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.

吾个第一印象係佢當聰明。
ngaˊ ge ti idˋ in xiong he giˇ dongˊ cungˊ minˇngâ ke thi yit yin siong he kì tông chhûng mìn
My first impression is that she is very smart.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Sixian 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:

吾个第一印象係佢當聰明。
ngaˊ ge ti idˋ in xiong he giˇ dongˊ cungˊ minˇ.ngâ ke thi yit yin siong he kì tông chhûng mìn.
My first impression is that she is very smart.
Lesson 333
你係第一個注意著个人！
nˇ he ti idˋ ge zu i doˋ ge nginˇ!ǹ he thi yit ke chu yi tó ke ngìn!
You are the first person to notice!
Lesson 337

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