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A1 adjective #1,400 más común 15 min de lectura

Sechste

Top 1,400

Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos Sechste en 30 segundos

Explicación Sechste in your Level:

At the A1 beginner level, learning the word 'sechste' is primarily about mastering the absolute basics of counting, expressing dates, and understanding simple sequences in everyday life. When you first start learning German, you learn the cardinal numbers: eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs. The next logical step is learning how to put things in order, which is where ordinal numbers come in. To say 'sixth', you simply take the number 'sechs' and add the suffix '-te', creating 'sechste'. At this early stage, the most important application for 'sechste' is talking about dates and birthdays. If someone asks you 'Wann hast du Geburtstag?' (When is your birthday?), and it falls on the sixth of the month, you must learn the fixed phrase 'am sechsten'. For example, 'am sechsten Mai' (on the sixth of May) or 'am sechsten Oktober' (on the sixth of October). You do not need to deeply understand the complex dative case grammar behind this yet; you just need to memorize that dates use 'am' plus the '-en' ending. Another highly common A1 topic is talking about your daily routine or schedule. You might say 'Das ist mein sechster Tag hier' (This is my sixth day here) or 'Die sechste Stunde ist Deutsch' (The sixth lesson is German). You will also learn to recognize the period used after numbers to indicate ordinals, such as '6.', which is crucial for reading signs, schedules, and invitations. At the A1 level, the focus is strictly on practical, immediate communication. You should practice writing out dates, identifying the sixth item in a simple list, and understanding basic spoken instructions that involve sequences. While the changing endings (sechste, sechster, sechsten) might seem slightly confusing at first, consistent repetition in common contexts like dates and basic counting will quickly build your confidence and foundational understanding of this essential vocabulary word.

At the A2 elementary level, your understanding of the word 'sechste' expands significantly beyond simple memorized phrases for dates, and you begin to actively apply basic adjective declension rules in a wider variety of practical, everyday situations. At this stage, you are learning how to navigate a German city and describe your living situation, which frequently involves discussing multi-story buildings. You will learn to say 'Ich wohne im sechsten Stock' (I live on the sixth floor), understanding that 'im' is a contraction of 'in dem' and requires the dative ending '-en' on the ordinal number. You will also start using 'sechste' in the accusative case when talking about direct objects. For example, if you are buying tickets or selecting items, you might say 'Ich nehme den sechsten Platz' (I will take the sixth seat) or 'Wir kaufen das sechste Auto' (We are buying the sixth car). You will notice that the masculine ending changes to '-en' (den sechsten), while the feminine and neuter endings remain '-e' (die sechste, das sechste). Furthermore, at the A2 level, you will encounter 'sechste' in the context of school and education, discussing 'die sechste Klasse' (the sixth grade). You will also start using it to describe sequences of events or steps in a simple process, such as following a recipe or directions: 'Der sechste Schritt ist...' (The sixth step is...). The key difference between A1 and A2 is the shift from rote memorization of set phrases to a more conscious application of grammar rules. You are now expected to independently choose the correct ending (sechste, sechster, sechsten, sechstem) based on the gender of the noun and its specific role in the sentence, whether it is the subject, the direct object, or following a dative preposition. Consistent practice with these declension patterns is crucial for solidifying your A2 skills.

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At the B1 intermediate level, your usage of the ordinal number 'sechste' becomes much more sophisticated, nuanced, and integrated into complex sentence structures. You are no longer just talking about simple dates or building floors; you are now discussing historical events, cultural topics, and abstract concepts. At this level, you will frequently encounter 'sechste' in reading comprehension texts about history, such as references to 'das sechste Jahrhundert' (the sixth century) or specific historical figures. You will also learn to use 'sechste' as a nominalized adjective, meaning it functions entirely as a noun. For example, in a sports context, you might say 'Er kam als Sechster ans Ziel' (He finished sixth), where 'Sechster' is capitalized because it represents the person. You will also become comfortable with the genitive case, using phrases like 'am Ende des sechsten Monats' (at the end of the sixth month) to express possession or relationships between nouns. Furthermore, at the B1 level, you will expand your vocabulary to include related mathematical and sequential terms. You will learn the fraction 'das Sechstel' (one sixth) and how to use it in sentences like 'Ein Sechstel der Studenten kommt aus dem Ausland' (One sixth of the students come from abroad). You will also actively use the sequential adverb 'sechstens' (sixthly) to structure longer arguments, presentations, or written essays, demonstrating your ability to organize complex thoughts logically. The B1 level requires a solid, almost automatic command of all adjective declension rules across all four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) when using 'sechste'. Mistakes in endings should become increasingly rare as you internalize the grammatical patterns through extensive reading, writing, and speaking practice in diverse, real-world contexts.

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At the B2 upper-intermediate level, your mastery of the word 'sechste' is expected to be highly accurate and entirely natural, extending well into the realm of idiomatic expressions, abstract discussions, and professional environments. At this stage, you are dealing with complex texts and rapid native speech, where 'sechste' might appear in subtle or figurative contexts. A key focus at the B2 level is understanding and actively using common German idioms. You will confidently use the phrase 'einen sechsten Sinn haben' (to have a sixth sense) to describe intuition or a gut feeling, integrating it seamlessly into conversations about psychology, personal experiences, or interpersonal relationships. For example: 'Sie hat einen sechsten Sinn dafür, wenn jemand lügt' (She has a sixth sense for when someone is lying). In professional and academic settings, you will use 'sechste' to discuss detailed reports, financial quarters, or structural organizations, such as referring to 'die sechste überarbeitete Auflage' (the sixth revised edition) of a textbook or 'der sechste Paragraph' (the sixth paragraph) of a legal document. Your grasp of grammar must be impeccable; you will effortlessly navigate strong, weak, and mixed adjective declensions without hesitation. You will also understand the subtle nuances of word order and emphasis when using ordinal numbers in complex, multi-clause sentences. At the B2 level, you are not just translating 'sixth'; you are thinking in German and using 'sechste' with the same intuitive grasp of context, register, and grammatical precision as a native speaker would in everyday professional and social situations. You will also be able to easily distinguish between similar-sounding words like 'sechzehnte' and 'sechzigste' even in fast-paced audio recordings or heated discussions.

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At the C1 advanced level, your use of 'sechste' transcends basic communication and enters the domain of highly refined, academic, and literary expression. You possess a profound understanding of the word's morphological and syntactic behavior within the most complex grammatical structures. At this level, you will encounter 'sechste' in dense philosophical texts, classical literature, and high-level journalistic analyses. You might read about 'die Sechste Symphonie' (the Sixth Symphony) in a music critique, where the capitalization rules for specific titles and proper nouns are strictly applied. You will effortlessly handle highly complex noun phrases with multiple modifiers, such as 'die feierliche Eröffnung der mittlerweile sechsten internationalen Konferenz' (the festive opening of what is now the sixth international conference). Your command of the genitive case is absolute, allowing you to construct elegant and sophisticated sentences. Furthermore, at the C1 level, you are acutely aware of stylistic variations and register. You understand when to use 'sechstens' in a formal academic paper versus when a different structural approach might be more rhetorically effective. You can analyze historical texts that might use slightly archaic phrasing involving ordinal numbers and understand the cultural and temporal context. Your vocabulary is expansive enough to include highly specific compound words or technical jargon that incorporates 'sechs' or 'sechste', depending on your field of expertise, whether it be engineering, law, or the humanities. At this stage, 'sechste' is merely a tool that you wield with absolute precision to articulate highly complex, abstract, and nuanced ideas flawlessly in both written and spoken German.

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At the C2 mastery level, your proficiency with the word 'sechste' is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker. You possess an intuitive, flawless command of the word in every conceivable context, from the most casual slang to the most elevated, archaic literary forms. At this pinnacle of language acquisition, you are capable of dissecting and analyzing the etymological roots of the word and its historical evolution within the Germanic language family. You can effortlessly comprehend and produce highly complex, nested sentences where 'sechste' might be buried within multiple layers of dependent clauses and intricate declension patterns. You are fully capable of reading classic German literature, such as the works of Goethe or Schiller, and perfectly understanding their specific, sometimes historically contextualized, use of ordinal numbers. In contemporary contexts, you can engage in highly sophisticated debates, using terms like 'die sechste Gewalt' (a theoretical sixth estate) in political science discussions, demonstrating a deep understanding of cultural and societal concepts. You can play with the language, using 'sechste' in creative writing, poetry, or rhetoric to achieve specific stylistic effects or rhythmic patterns. Your understanding of pronunciation is perfect, including the subtle regional variations in how the 'ch' and 'st' sounds might be articulated across different German-speaking areas. At the C2 level, 'sechste' is completely integrated into your vast linguistic repertoire, allowing you to express the most subtle shades of meaning, irony, or emphasis with absolute, effortless perfection.

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Practícalo Ejemplos Notas y consejos

Sechste en 30 segundos

Means 'sixth' in English.
Used for dates and rankings.
Adjective endings must change.
Written as '6.' in numbers.

The German word 'sechste' is an essential ordinal number that translates directly to 'sixth' in the English language. Understanding how to correctly use ordinal numbers is a fundamental and critical step in mastering the German language, as they are absolutely ubiquitous in everyday communication across all German-speaking countries. When individuals talk about specific dates, competitive rankings, sequential orders, or specific items in a series, ordinal numbers like 'sechste' are entirely indispensable. The formation of ordinal numbers in German generally follows a highly predictable and systematic pattern. For numbers ranging from one to nineteen, you typically add the specific suffix '-te' to the base cardinal number. Therefore, the cardinal number 'sechs', which means six, transforms seamlessly into 'sechste', meaning sixth. However, because 'sechste' functions primarily as a descriptive adjective in sentences, it must strictly conform to the complex and highly nuanced rules of German adjective declension. This grammatical requirement means that the ending of the word 'sechste' will inevitably change depending on the specific gender, which can be masculine, feminine, or neuter, the number, whether singular or plural, and the grammatical case, encompassing nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive, of the noun it directly modifies.

Heute ist der sechste Tag der Woche.

For instance, if you are referring to the sixth day, where 'der Tag' is a masculine noun, you would correctly say 'der sechste Tag' in the nominative case. If this phrase serves as the direct object of a sentence, such as in the statement 'I see the sixth day', which translates to 'Ich sehe den sechsten Tag', the ending changes to '-n' to accurately reflect the accusative case.

Nominative Case: Used for the subject of the sentence, e.g., der sechste Mann.

Similarly, for a feminine noun like 'die Woche', meaning the week, the phrase remains 'die sechste Woche' in both the nominative and accusative cases, but it shifts to 'der sechsten Woche' in the dative and genitive cases.

Das ist die sechste Frage.

For a neuter noun such as 'das Jahr', meaning the year, the phrase is 'das sechste Jahr' in the nominative and accusative cases, and it becomes 'dem sechsten Jahr' in the dative case. This constant and dynamic shifting of adjective endings can often be quite challenging for native English speakers, who simply use the invariable word 'sixth' regardless of the noun's inherent characteristics or its specific role within the sentence structure. Let us look at some highly practical and common applications of this word.

Wir feiern am sechsten Mai.

One of the absolute most common uses of the word 'sechste' is in the expression of dates. In the German language, dates are invariably and consistently expressed using ordinal numbers. If someone's birthday falls on the sixth of May, you would accurately say 'am sechsten Mai'.

Dative Case in Dates: Dates using 'am' always require the -n ending, making it 'am sechsten'.

The preposition 'an' combined with the dative definite article 'dem' forms the contraction 'am', which subsequently requires the dative ending '-n' on the ordinal number itself. Another highly frequent context involves discussing the various floors of a multi-story building.

Ich wohne im sechsten Stock.

In Germany, the ground floor is referred to as 'das Erdgeschoss', and the very first floor above the ground level is called 'der erste Stock'. Therefore, the phrase 'der sechste Stock' actually corresponds precisely to what Americans would typically call the seventh floor. When discussing the German school grading system, the grades range from 1, which is 'sehr gut' or very good, to 6, which is 'ungenügend' or insufficient.

School Grades: A 'Sechs' is the lowest possible grade in the German educational system.

While 'die Sechs' is the cardinal number used as a noun in this context, you might frequently hear 'die sechste Klasse' referring specifically to the sixth grade in a school setting.

Mein Sohn geht in die sechste Klasse.

In sports, athletic competitions, and various tournaments, rankings are incredibly crucial. Finishing a race or a competition in sixth place is formally expressed as 'den sechsten Platz belegen'. Furthermore, it is extremely important to note that when ordinal numbers are written as digits in German texts, they are always followed immediately by a period. So, the digit '6.' is read aloud as 'sechste', 'sechster', 'sechsten', or 'sechstem', entirely depending on the surrounding grammatical context. This simple period is the exact typographical equivalent of the English suffixes '-st', '-nd', '-rd', and '-th'. Remembering this seemingly small punctuation detail is absolutely vital for reading and writing the German language correctly and fluently. In comprehensive summary, truly mastering the word 'sechste' involves not only memorizing its direct English translation but also deeply understanding its complex grammatical behavior, its declension patterns, and its various cultural contexts within the German-speaking world.

Using the ordinal number 'sechste' correctly in German sentences requires a solid and comprehensive understanding of German adjective declension rules, which dictate how the endings of adjectives change based on the grammatical context. Because 'sechste' acts as an adjective modifying a noun, it must flawlessly agree with the gender, number, and case of that specific noun. Let us deeply explore how this works across the four different grammatical cases in the German language: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive.

Der sechste Sinn ist oft sehr nützlich.

In the nominative case, which is used for the subject of the sentence, the endings are relatively straightforward when preceded by a definite article like 'der', 'die', or 'das'. For a masculine noun, you use 'der sechste', as in 'Der sechste Monat ist der Juni' (The sixth month is June). For a feminine noun, it is 'die sechste', as in 'Die sechste Lektion ist schwer' (The sixth lesson is difficult). For a neuter noun, it is 'das sechste', as in 'Das sechste Auto ist rot' (The sixth car is red).

Nominative Endings: With definite articles, the nominative ending is always '-e' for singular nouns.

Moving on to the accusative case, which is used for the direct object of a sentence, the ending changes specifically for masculine nouns.

Ich lese den sechsten Band der Reihe.

The masculine form becomes 'den sechsten', as seen in the sentence 'Ich nehme den sechsten Apfel' (I am taking the sixth apple). However, the feminine and neuter forms remarkably remain exactly the same as they are in the nominative case. You would say 'Ich lese die sechste Seite' (I am reading the sixth page) and 'Ich kaufe das sechste Buch' (I am buying the sixth book). The dative case, which is used for indirect objects and after certain specific prepositions like 'in', 'an', 'mit', and 'von', requires the ending '-en' for all genders when preceded by a definite article.

Wir treffen uns im sechsten Stock.

For masculine and neuter nouns, the article is 'dem', resulting in 'dem sechsten'. For example, 'Er wohnt in dem sechsten Stock' (He lives on the sixth floor), which is almost always contracted to 'im sechsten Stock'. For feminine nouns, the article changes to 'der', resulting in 'der sechsten', as in 'Wir sind in der sechsten Woche' (We are in the sixth week).

Dative Uniformity: In the dative case with a definite article, the adjective ending is universally '-en'.

The genitive case, used to meticulously indicate possession or relationship, also uniformly uses the '-en' ending for the adjective when preceded by a definite article.

Das ist das Ende des sechsten Kapitels.

For masculine and neuter nouns, the article is 'des', as in 'Der Titel des sechsten Buches' (The title of the sixth book). For feminine nouns, the article is 'der', as in 'Der Beginn der sechsten Stunde' (The beginning of the sixth hour). It is also crucially important to understand how 'sechste' behaves without a preceding definite article, which is known as strong declension. If you simply say 'sixth place' without 'the', it becomes 'sechster Platz' because the adjective must carry the primary masculine marker '-er'.

Er wurde sechster im Rennen.

Strong Declension: When no article is present, the adjective takes the ending that the definite article would normally have.

Mastering these highly specific sentence structures and declension patterns is absolutely essential for achieving true fluency and sounding like a native speaker when utilizing the word 'sechste' in everyday German conversations and formal writing.

The ordinal number 'sechste' is a word that you will genuinely encounter on a daily basis in a vast multitude of completely normal, everyday situations across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Its usage is not confined to formal writing or academic contexts; rather, it is deeply embedded in the natural rhythm of spoken German. One of the most absolutely frequent places you will hear 'sechste' is when people are discussing dates, birthdays, and anniversaries.

Mein Geburtstag ist am sechsten August.

Because Germans exclusively use ordinal numbers for dates, any event occurring on the sixth day of any month will inevitably require this word. You will hear it in offices when scheduling meetings, in schools when teachers announce test dates, and among friends planning weekend get-togethers.

Everyday Scheduling: Dates are the primary domain where ordinal numbers like sechste are absolutely unavoidable.

Another extremely common context is when navigating the physical environment, specifically when dealing with multi-story buildings, elevators, and architecture.

Das Büro befindet sich im sechsten Stock.

If you are visiting a large department store, a hospital, or a corporate office building, you will frequently need to ask for directions or read signs indicating what is located on the 'sechsten Stock'. In the realm of education and schooling, 'sechste' is a highly relevant term. Parents and students frequently discuss the 'sechste Klasse', which refers to the sixth grade. This is often a pivotal year in the German school system, as it sometimes marks the transition period between different types of secondary schools depending on the specific federal state.

Sie unterrichtet Mathematik in der sechsten Klasse.

Educational Context: The term 'sechste Klasse' is a standard part of vocabulary for anyone involved in the school system.

Furthermore, the world of sports, athletics, and competitive gaming heavily relies on ordinal numbers to establish rankings and standings. If you are watching a Formula 1 race, a marathon, or a Bundesliga football match, the commentators will constantly refer to the positions of the competitors.

Der Läufer erreichte als Sechster das Ziel.

Hearing that a favorite team has dropped to 'den sechsten Platz' (sixth place) is a common experience for sports fans. Beyond these literal uses, 'sechste' also appears in widely recognized idiomatic expressions and cultural references. The concept of a 'sixth sense', referring to intuition or extrasensory perception, translates perfectly into German as 'der sechste Sinn'.

Mütter haben oft einen sechsten Sinn für Gefahr.

Cultural Idioms: Idioms involving 'sechste' often mirror English expressions, making them easier to learn and remember.

In the automotive world, especially in a country famous for its car manufacturing and the Autobahn, discussing the gears of a manual transmission is common. Shifting into 'den sechsten Gang' (the sixth gear) is a phrase you will hear among driving instructors and car enthusiasts alike. Whether you are reading a historical text about the Sixth Coalition, listening to Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, or simply trying to find your hotel room on the sixth floor, the word 'sechste' is an absolutely vital and inescapable component of the German linguistic landscape.

When English speakers are actively learning and attempting to master the German ordinal number 'sechste', they frequently encounter a specific set of highly predictable and common grammatical pitfalls. Recognizing, understanding, and actively avoiding these common mistakes is absolutely essential for achieving fluency and communicating accurately in the German language. The single most prevalent and glaring mistake is the complete failure to properly decline the adjective 'sechste' according to the strict rules of German grammar.

Falsch: Ich wohne in der sechste Stock.

Because the English word 'sixth' never changes its form regardless of the context, learners often mistakenly assume that 'sechste' is similarly invariable. They might incorrectly say 'am sechste Mai' instead of the grammatically correct 'am sechsten Mai', completely ignoring the absolute necessity of the dative '-en' ending required by the preposition 'an' combined with the definite article 'dem'.

Declension Errors: Failing to add the correct case ending is the hallmark of a beginner's mistake with ordinal numbers.

Another extremely common error involves confusing the base cardinal number 'sechs' with the ordinal number 'sechste'.

Falsch: Heute ist der sechs Mai.

A learner might attempt to translate 'the six of May' literally, resulting in the highly unnatural and incorrect phrase 'der sechs Mai'. It is crucial to remember that in German, dates absolutely must be expressed using ordinal numbers, never cardinal numbers. Furthermore, learners frequently struggle with the correct capitalization rules surrounding ordinal numbers. In German, adjectives are generally not capitalized unless they are nominalized, meaning they are used as a noun.

Richtig: Er kam als Sechster ins Ziel.

If you say 'der sechste Tag' (the sixth day), 'sechste' is strictly lowercase because it modifies the noun 'Tag'. However, if you omit the noun and use the ordinal number to represent a person or a thing, such as 'Er ist der Sechste in der Reihe' (He is the sixth in line), it must be capitalized because it has effectively become a noun.

Capitalization Rules: Capitalize 'Sechste' only when it stands alone as a noun, representing a person or object.

Punctuation is another major area where mistakes are rampant. When writing ordinal numbers as digits, German strictly requires a period after the number to indicate that it is an ordinal.

Falsch: Ich bin am 6 Mai geboren.

Writing '6 Mai' instead of '6. Mai' is a glaring typographical error that immediately marks the writer as a non-native speaker. The period is not optional; it is a mandatory grammatical marker. Finally, learners sometimes confuse 'sechste' with other similar-sounding numerical words, such as 'sechzehnte' (sixteenth) or 'sechzigste' (sixtieth).

Achtung: sechste vs. sechzehnte.

Pronunciation Clarity: Ensure clear enunciation to distinguish between 6th, 16th, and 60th.

Paying close attention to the specific syllables and practicing clear, precise pronunciation will help avoid these potentially confusing and embarrassing communicative misunderstandings in everyday German conversation.

While the ordinal number 'sechste' is the most direct, precise, and universally understood translation for the English word 'sixth', the German language offers a rich variety of related numerical terms, mathematical fractions, and sequential adverbs that are highly useful to learn alongside it to significantly expand your overall vocabulary and expressive capabilities. Understanding these related words provides a much deeper and more comprehensive grasp of how the German numerical system functions in various contexts.

Erstens, zweitens... und sechstens.

One of the most important related words is the sequential adverb 'sechstens', which translates directly to 'sixthly' or 'in the sixth place'. This word is incredibly useful when you are structuring a highly detailed argument, writing a comprehensive essay, or listing a long series of points in a formal presentation.

Sequential Adverbs: Use 'sechstens' to introduce the sixth point in a logical sequence or list.

Instead of saying 'der sechste Punkt ist...' (the sixth point is...), you can simply and elegantly say 'sechstens...' to introduce your next thought. Another crucial mathematical concept related to 'sechste' is the fraction 'das Sechstel', which means 'one sixth'.

Ein Sechstel der Torte fehlt.

In German, fractions are typically formed by adding the specific suffix '-tel' to the base cardinal number. Therefore, 'sechs' becomes 'Sechstel'. It is highly important to note that 'Sechstel' is a neuter noun and is always capitalized, unlike the adjective 'sechste'. You would use this word when dividing a pizza, calculating mathematical probabilities, or discussing statistical proportions, such as 'Ein Sechstel der Bevölkerung' (one sixth of the population).

Fractions vs. Ordinals: Do not confuse the adjective 'sechste' (sixth in order) with the noun 'Sechstel' (one sixth part).

Naturally, 'sechste' is part of the continuous sequence of ordinal numbers, and learning its immediate neighbors is essential.

Nach dem fünften kommt der sechste.

The word that comes immediately before it is 'fünfte' (fifth), and the word that follows it is 'siebte' (seventh). Memorizing this sequence (erste, zweite, dritte, vierte, fünfte, sechste, siebte) is a fundamental building block of basic German fluency. Furthermore, you might encounter compound words that incorporate the concept of 'six'. For example, 'sechsmal' means 'six times', and 'sechsfach' means 'sixfold' or 'six times as much'.

Das Risiko ist sechsfach höher.

Multiplicative Adjectives: Words like 'sechsfach' describe multiplication or quantity, not sequential order.

While these words are not direct synonyms for 'sechste', they belong to the exact same numerical word family and are highly relevant for expressing precise quantities, frequencies, and mathematical relationships.

Ich habe es dir sechsmal gesagt!

By actively studying and integrating these related terms into your vocabulary, you will significantly enhance your ability to communicate complex numerical concepts clearly, accurately, and confidently in any German-speaking environment.

How Formal Is It?

Dato curioso

The number six (sechs) and its ordinal form (sechste) share a very ancient Indo-European root '*s(w)eḱs'. This is why the word for 'six' looks and sounds remarkably similar across many different language families, including Latin (sex), Greek (héx), and Sanskrit (ṣáṣ). The 's' sound at the beginning has been preserved for thousands of years.

Guía de pronunciación

UK /ˈzɛkstə/

US /ˈzɛkstə/

The primary stress is firmly on the first syllable: SECHS-te.

Rima con

nächste texte hexte flexte kleckste wechselte drechselte häckselte

Errores comunes

Pronouncing the initial 's' as an English 's' instead of a 'z'.
Pronouncing the 'ch' as a hard 'k' sound (like 'sekste').
Ignoring the final 'e' and pronouncing it as 'sechst'.
Confusing the pronunciation with 'sechzehnte' (sixteenth).
Confusing the pronunciation with 'sechzigste' (sixtieth).

Nivel de dificultad

Lectura 2/5

Easily recognizable due to its similarity to 'sechs' and context clues like dates.

Escritura 6/5

Requires solid knowledge of adjective declension to write the correct ending (-e, -er, -en, -em, -es).

Expresión oral 5/5

Pronunciation of the 'chs' sound can be tricky, and choosing the right ending on the fly requires practice.

Escucha 4/5

Can be confused with 'sechzehnte' or 'sechzigste' in fast speech.

Qué aprender después

Requisitos previos

sechs erste zweite dritte Datum

Aprende después

siebte achte neunte zehnte Adjektivdeklination

Avanzado

sechstens Sechstel sechsfach sechsmalig nominalisierte Adjektive

Gramática que debes saber

Adjective Declension (Definite Article)

der sechste Mann, den sechsten Mann, dem sechsten Mann, des sechsten Mannes.

Adjective Declension (Indefinite Article)

ein sechster Sinn, einen sechsten Sinn, einem sechsten Sinn, eines sechsten Sinnes.

Adjective Declension (No Article)

sechster Platz, sechsten Platz, sechstem Platz, sechsten Platzes.

Prepositions with Dative (an + dem = am)

am sechsten Mai (Dates always use dative).

Nominalization of Adjectives

Der Sechste gewinnt einen Trostpreis. (Capitalized when used as a noun).

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Ejemplos por nivel

Heute ist der sechste Mai.

Today is the sixth of May.

Dates use the nominative 'der' when stating what today is.

Das ist mein sechster Tag in Berlin.

This is my sixth day in Berlin.

'Tag' is masculine, so 'sechster' takes the '-er' ending after 'mein'.

Wir lesen die sechste Lektion.

We are reading the sixth lesson.

'Lektion' is feminine, so 'sechste' takes the '-e' ending in the accusative.

Das sechste Auto ist blau.

The sixth car is blue.

'Auto' is neuter, so 'sechste' takes the '-e' ending after 'das'.

Ich habe am sechsten August Geburtstag.

My birthday is on the sixth of August.

Dates with 'am' always require the dative '-en' ending: 'am sechsten'.

Sie ist das sechste Kind in der Familie.

She is the sixth child in the family.

'Kind' is neuter, nominative case uses 'das sechste'.

Der sechste Monat heißt Juni.

The sixth month is called June.

'Monat' is masculine, nominative case uses 'der sechste'.

Wir wohnen im sechsten Stock.

We live on the sixth floor.

'im' (in dem) requires the dative '-en' ending: 'im sechsten'.

Ich nehme den sechsten Platz in der Reihe.

I'll take the sixth seat in the row.

'Platz' is masculine accusative, so 'den sechsten'.

Das ist schon die sechste Tasse Kaffee heute!

That is already the sixth cup of coffee today!

'Tasse' is feminine nominative, so 'die sechste'.

Mein Sohn geht jetzt in die sechste Klasse.

My son is now going into the sixth grade.

'in die' requires accusative feminine, so 'die sechste'.

Der sechste Schritt in der Anleitung ist schwer.

The sixth step in the instructions is difficult.

'Schritt' is masculine nominative, so 'der sechste'.

Wir treffen uns am sechsten Bahnhof.

We will meet at the sixth train station.

'am' requires dative masculine, so 'am sechsten'.

Das ist das sechste Mal, dass ich dich anrufe.

This is the sixth time I am calling you.

'Mal' is neuter nominative, so 'das sechste'.

Die sechste Frage im Test war sehr einfach.

The sixth question on the test was very easy.

'Frage' is feminine nominative, so 'die sechste'.

Er hat den sechsten Preis gewonnen.

He won the sixth prize.

'Preis' is masculine accusative, so 'den sechsten'.

Das sechste Jahrhundert war eine Zeit des Umbruchs.

The sixth century was a time of upheaval.

'Jahrhundert' is neuter nominative, so 'das sechste'.

Ein Sechstel der Pizza ist noch übrig.

One sixth of the pizza is still left.

'Sechstel' is a noun here, representing the fraction.

Sie belegte beim Marathon den sechsten Platz.

She took sixth place in the marathon.

'Platz' is masculine accusative, so 'den sechsten'.

Das ist die sechste Auflage dieses Wörterbuchs.

This is the sixth edition of this dictionary.

'Auflage' is feminine nominative, so 'die sechste'.

Am Ende des sechsten Tages waren wir erschöpft.

At the end of the sixth day, we were exhausted.

Genitive masculine requires 'des sechsten'.

Sechstens müssen wir die Kosten berechnen.

Sixthly, we must calculate the costs.

'Sechstens' is the sequential adverb.

Er schaltete auf der Autobahn in den sechsten Gang.

He shifted into sixth gear on the highway.

'Gang' is masculine accusative, so 'den sechsten'.

Die sechste Sinfonie von Beethoven heißt Pastorale.

Beethoven's sixth symphony is called the Pastoral.

'Sinfonie' is feminine nominative, so 'die sechste'.

Ich glaube, sie hat einen sechsten Sinn für solche Dinge.

I think she has a sixth sense for such things.

Idiomatic expression using masculine accusative 'einen sechsten'.

Das Unternehmen plant die Eröffnung der sechsten Filiale.

The company is planning the opening of the sixth branch.

Genitive feminine requires 'der sechsten'.

Er ist als Sechster in der Thronfolge gelistet.

He is listed as sixth in the line of succession.

Nominalized adjective, masculine nominative, capitalized 'Sechster'.

Die Verhandlungen scheiterten in der sechsten Runde.

The negotiations failed in the sixth round.

Dative feminine requires 'der sechsten'.

Jeder sechste Bürger hat statistisch gesehen dieses Problem.

Statistically speaking, every sixth citizen has this problem.

Masculine nominative after 'jeder' requires 'sechste'.

Wir befinden uns im sechsten Jahr der wirtschaftlichen Krise.

We are in the sixth year of the economic crisis.

Dative neuter requires 'im sechsten'.

Der sechste Sinn des Menschen ist wissenschaftlich umstritten.

The human sixth sense is scientifically controversial.

Masculine nominative 'Der sechste'.

Sie feierten ihren sechsundsechzigsten Geburtstag am sechsten.

They celebrated their sixty-sixth birthday on the sixth.

Dative for dates 'am sechsten'.

Die Interpretation der sechsten Strophe dieses Gedichts ist äußerst komplex.

The interpretation of the sixth stanza of this poem is extremely complex.

Genitive feminine 'der sechsten'.

Als Sechster durchs Ziel zu gehen, war für den Favoriten eine herbe Enttäuschung.

Crossing the finish line in sixth place was a bitter disappointment for the favorite.

Nominalized adjective 'Sechster' used as an apposition.

Die sechste Gewalt im Staat wird oft den sozialen Medien zugeschrieben.

The sixth estate in the state is often attributed to social media.

Feminine nominative 'Die sechste', abstract political concept.

Die archäologischen Funde datieren auf die Mitte des sechsten Jahrtausends vor Christus.

The archaeological finds date back to the middle of the sixth millennium BC.

Genitive neuter 'des sechsten'.

In der sechsten Auflage des Kommentars wurde die aktuelle Rechtsprechung berücksichtigt.

In the sixth edition of the commentary, current jurisprudence was taken into account.

Dative feminine 'der sechsten'.

Die sechste Dimension in dieser physikalischen Theorie entzieht sich unserer Vorstellungskraft.

The sixth dimension in this physical theory eludes our imagination.

Feminine nominative 'Die sechste'.

Er verwies auf den sechsten Absatz des Vertrages, der die Kündigungsfrist regelt.

He referred to the sixth paragraph of the contract, which regulates the notice period.

Masculine accusative 'den sechsten'.

Die sechste Sinfonie Gustav Mahlers wird auch die Tragische genannt.

Gustav Mahler's Sixth Symphony is also called the Tragic.

Feminine nominative 'Die sechste', specific musical title.

Die ontologische Prämisse des sechsten Kapitels dekonstruiert die vorherigen Argumente vollständig.

The ontological premise of the sixth chapter completely deconstructs the previous arguments.

Genitive neuter 'des sechsten' in a highly academic context.

Der Autor bedient sich im sechsten Akt eines bemerkenswerten rhetorischen Chiasmus.

The author employs a remarkable rhetorical chiasmus in the sixth act.

Dative masculine 'im sechsten' in literary analysis.

Die Ausführungen zur sechsten Epoche der Erdgeschichte bedürfen einer kritischen Revision.

The remarks on the sixth epoch of Earth's history require a critical revision.

Dative feminine 'zur sechsten' (zu der sechsten).

Als Sechster in der Hierarchie oblag ihm dennoch eine unverhältnismäßig hohe Verantwortung.

As sixth in the hierarchy, he nevertheless bore a disproportionately high responsibility.

Nominalized 'Sechster' showing complex sentence structure.

Die Nuancen des sechsten Vokalsystems in diesem Dialekt sind für Laien kaum wahrnehmbar.

The nuances of the sixth vowel system in this dialect are barely perceptible to laypeople.

Genitive neuter 'des sechsten'.

In seiner sechsten und letzten Metamorphose erreicht der Protagonist eine transzendente Erkenntnis.

In his sixth and final metamorphosis, the protagonist achieves a transcendent realization.

Dative feminine 'In seiner sechsten'.

Die Ratifizierung des sechsten Zusatzartikels markierte einen Wendepunkt in der Verfassungsgeschichte.

The ratification of the sixth amendment marked a turning point in constitutional history.

Genitive masculine 'des sechsten'.

Das Phänomen tritt gehäuft im sechsten Dezil der statistischen Verteilung auf.

The phenomenon occurs frequently in the sixth decile of the statistical distribution.

Dative neuter 'im sechsten'.

Colocaciones comunes

der sechste Sinn

im sechsten Stock

am sechsten Mai

die sechste Klasse

den sechsten Platz belegen

in den sechsten Gang schalten

das sechste Jahrhundert

die sechste Stunde

der sechste Teil

jeder Sechste

Frases Comunes

am sechsten

— On the sixth (used for dates). Requires the dative case.

Wir sehen uns am sechsten.

der sechste Sinn

— The sixth sense. Refers to intuition or a gut feeling.

Mütter haben oft einen sechsten Sinn.

im sechsten Stock

— On the sixth floor. Note that this is the seventh floor in US English.

Der Aufzug fährt in den sechsten Stock.

die sechste Klasse

— The sixth grade. A specific year in the educational system.

Die sechste Klasse macht einen Ausflug.

den sechsten Platz

— The sixth place. Used in rankings and competitions.

Sie erreichte den sechsten Platz.

jeder sechste

— Every sixth (person/thing). Used for statistical proportions.

Jeder sechste Schüler lernt Spanisch.

zum sechsten Mal

— For the sixth time. Indicates the frequency of an occurrence.

Ich bin zum sechsten Mal hier.

das sechste Jahr

— The sixth year. Used to denote a specific year in a sequence.

Wir sind im sechsten Jahr unserer Ehe.

die sechste Stunde

— The sixth lesson/hour. Often used in school schedules.

In der sechsten Stunde haben wir Sport.

der sechste Sinn trügt nicht

— The sixth sense doesn't deceive. Trust your intuition.

Mein sechster Sinn trügt mich selten.

Se confunde a menudo con

Sechste vs sechs

'Sechs' is the cardinal number (six), while 'sechste' is the ordinal number (sixth). Do not use 'sechs' for dates.

Sechste vs sechzehnte

'Sechzehnte' means sixteenth (16th). Pay attention to the extra syllable 'zehn' in the middle.

Sechste vs sechzigste

'Sechzigste' means sixtieth (60th). Listen for the 'zig' sound before the 'ste' suffix.

Modismos y expresiones

"einen sechsten Sinn haben"

— To have a sixth sense. This means to have a strong intuition or a gut feeling about something that is not obvious to the five physical senses.

Er hat einen sechsten Sinn dafür, wenn etwas schiefgeht.

neutral

"sechste Geige spielen"

— To play the sixth fiddle. A variation of 'zweite Geige spielen', meaning to have a very unimportant or subordinate role.

In diesem Projekt spiele ich nur die sechste Geige.

informal

"das sechste Rad am Wagen sein"

— To be the sixth wheel on the wagon. A variation of 'das fünfte Rad', meaning to be completely useless, superfluous, or unwanted in a group.

Ich fühle mich hier wie das sechste Rad am Wagen.

informal

"im sechsten Himmel sein"

— To be in the sixth heaven. A slight variation of 'im siebten Himmel' (on cloud nine), implying extreme happiness, though 'siebten' is much more common.

Nach der guten Nachricht war sie im sechsten Himmel.

informal

"den sechsten Sinn bemühen"

— To invoke one's sixth sense. To actively try to use one's intuition to solve a problem or understand a situation.

Da musste ich wirklich meinen sechsten Sinn bemühen.

neutral

"die sechste Kolonne"

— The sixth column. A rare variation of 'fifth column', referring to a group of saboteurs or secret sympathizers within an organization.

Man fürchtete eine sechste Kolonne im Unternehmen.

formal

"der sechste Kontinent"

— The sixth continent. Often used metaphorically to refer to the internet, cyberspace, or sometimes Antarctica.

Das Internet wird oft als der sechste Kontinent bezeichnet.

neutral

"sechste Natur werden"

— To become sixth nature. A hyperbole of 'second nature', meaning something has become so deeply ingrained it is entirely automatic.

Das Klavierspielen ist ihr zur sechsten Natur geworden.

informal

"auf dem sechsten Auge blind sein"

— To be blind in the sixth eye. A made-up idiom implying someone lacks intuition or completely misses subtle social cues.

Er ist bei solchen Dingen auf dem sechsten Auge blind.

informal

"die sechste Dimension betreten"

— To enter the sixth dimension. Used metaphorically to describe a situation that is completely surreal, confusing, or beyond normal comprehension.

Diese Diskussion hat die sechste Dimension betreten.

informal

Fácil de confundir

Sechste vs sechs

Learners often try to use the base number for dates, translating 'May six' literally.

'Sechs' is used for counting quantities (I have six apples). 'Sechste' is used for sequences and dates (The sixth apple).

Ich habe sechs Äpfel. Heute ist der sechste Mai.

Sechste vs Sechstel

Both relate to the number six and look similar.

'Sechstel' is a noun meaning the fraction 'one sixth'. 'Sechste' is an adjective meaning 'sixth in order'.

Ein Sechstel der Pizza. Der sechste Tag.

Sechste vs sechstens

Both are used to order things.

'Sechstens' is an adverb used to list points in an argument (sixthly). 'Sechste' modifies a noun.

Sechstens ist es zu teuer. Das ist der sechste Grund.

Sechste vs sechzehnte

Similar pronunciation and spelling.

'Sechzehnte' refers to the number 16. 'Sechste' refers to the number 6.

Der sechste Mai (May 6th). Der sechzehnte Mai (May 16th).

Sechste vs sechzigste

Similar pronunciation and spelling.

'Sechzigste' refers to the number 60. 'Sechste' refers to the number 6.

Sein sechster Geburtstag (6th). Sein sechzigster Geburtstag (60th).

Patrones de oraciones

Heute ist der sechste [Monat].

Heute ist der sechste Januar.

Ich wohne im sechsten [Ort].

Ich wohne im sechsten Stock.

Das ist das sechste Mal, dass [Nebensatz].

Das ist das sechste Mal, dass ich hier bin.

Er hat den sechsten [Nomen] gewonnen.

Er hat den sechsten Preis gewonnen.

Am Ende des sechsten [Nomen] [Verb] [Subjekt].

Am Ende des sechsten Tages waren wir müde.

Jeder sechste [Nomen] [Verb] [Objekt].

Jeder sechste Deutsche trinkt täglich Kaffee.

Sie hat einen sechsten Sinn für [Nomen].

Sie hat einen sechsten Sinn für Gefahr.

Als Sechster [Verb] [Subjekt] [Objekt].

Als Sechster erreichte er das Ziel.

Familia de palabras

Sustantivos

die Sechs

das Sechstel

der Sechster

Verbos

sechsteln

Adjetivos

sechste

sechsfach

sechsmalig

Relacionado

sechzehnte

sechzigste

sechseckig

sechsstellig

sechsjährig

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Cómo usarlo

frequency

Extremely high. Ordinal numbers are essential vocabulary.

Errores comunes

Heute ist der sechs Mai. → Heute ist der sechste Mai.
You cannot use cardinal numbers (eins, zwei, drei, sechs) for dates in German. You must use ordinal numbers (erste, zweite, dritte, sechste).
Ich habe am sechste August Geburtstag. → Ich habe am sechsten August Geburtstag.
The preposition 'an' combined with 'dem' forms 'am', which requires the dative case. The dative adjective ending for definite articles is '-en'.
Wir wohnen in der sechste Stock. → Wir wohnen im sechsten Stock.
'Stock' is a masculine noun. 'In' requires the dative case here, so it becomes 'in dem' (im). The adjective must take the dative ending '-en'.
Ich bin am 6 Mai geboren. → Ich bin am 6. Mai geboren.
When writing ordinal numbers as digits, you must include a period after the number to indicate that it is an ordinal.
Er ist der sechste in der Reihe. → Er ist der Sechste in der Reihe.
When an adjective is used as a noun (nominalized) and refers to a person or thing without the noun being present, it must be capitalized.

Consejos

Master the Dative for Dates

The most common mistake is forgetting the '-en' ending for dates. Always remember: 'am' + ordinal number + 'en'. Am sechsten, am siebten, am achten.

The Magic Period

Never write '6 Mai'. Always write '6. Mai'. That tiny period is the German equivalent of 'th' and is absolutely mandatory.

Floor Counting Rule

When navigating buildings, add one to the German floor number to get the American equivalent. Sechster Stock = 7th Floor.

Soft CH Sound

Practice the 'ich' sound before the 's'. Don't say 'sekste'. It's a soft, hissing sound. Listen to native speakers to get it right.

Capitalization Rules

Only capitalize 'Sechste' if there is no noun after it. 'Der sechste Mann' (lowercase). 'Der Sechste gewinnt' (uppercase).

The Sixth Sense

Use the idiom 'einen sechsten Sinn haben' to sound like a native speaker. It's exactly the same concept as in English.

Fractions vs. Ordinals

Don't confuse 'sechste' (sixth) with 'Sechstel' (one sixth). 'Sechstel' is a noun and is always capitalized.

Using Sechstens

If you are writing an essay and listing points, use 'erstens, zweitens... sechstens'. It makes your writing sound very structured and formal.

Listen for the 'Zehn'

In fast speech, 'sechste' and 'sechzehnte' sound similar. Listen closely for the extra 'zehn' syllable in the middle to distinguish 6th from 16th.

Daily Calendar Practice

Every day, look at your calendar and say the date out loud in German. 'Heute ist der...' This will build automatic muscle memory for ordinal numbers.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

To remember 'sechste', think of the English word 'SIXTH'. Both start with an 'S' and have an 'X' or 'CHS' sound in the middle. Imagine a SEXY SIXTH sense. The 'te' at the end is like the 'th' in English.

Asociación visual

Visualize a large, bright red calendar with the number 6 circled. Next to it, picture a building with an elevator stuck on the 6th floor. Imagine a runner crossing a finish line with a big number 6 on their chest.

Word Web

sechs sechstens Sechstel sechsmal sechsfach sechzehnte sechzigste Datum

Desafío

Write down five different dates in German using 'sechste' (e.g., am sechsten Januar). Then, write three sentences describing what floor different people live on using 'im sechsten Stock'.

Origen de la palabra

The word 'sechste' originates from the Old High German word 'sehsto', which itself derives from the Proto-Germanic '*sehstô'. This Proto-Germanic root is the source of the ordinal number for six across all Germanic languages. The suffix '-te' (or historically '-to') was added to the cardinal base to denote sequential order. Over centuries of linguistic evolution, the spelling and pronunciation standardized into the modern High German 'sechste'.

Significado original: The original meaning has remained entirely consistent throughout history: indicating the position in a sequence corresponding to the number six.

Indo-European > Germanic > West Germanic > High German > German

Contexto cultural

There are no specific cultural sensitivities or offensive connotations associated with the word 'sechste'. It is a neutral, mathematical, and sequential term.

English speakers often forget to decline 'sechste' because 'sixth' never changes. They also frequently forget the mandatory period after the number (6.) when writing dates in German.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 (Die Sechste Sinfonie, Pastorale) The movie 'The Sixth Sense' (Der sechste Sinn) The Sixth Coalition in European history (Die Sechste Koalition)

Practica en la vida real

Contextos reales

Dates and Birthdays

am sechsten Mai
der sechste Tag
mein sechster Geburtstag
bis zum sechsten

Buildings and Locations

im sechsten Stock
die sechste Tür
der sechste Raum
auf der sechsten Etage

Education and School

die sechste Klasse
die sechste Stunde
der sechste Test
das sechste Schuljahr

Sports and Competitions

den sechsten Platz belegen
als Sechster im Ziel
die sechste Runde
der sechste Versuch

Idioms and Concepts

der sechste Sinn
jeder sechste Mensch
zum sechsten Mal
das sechste Gefühl

Inicios de conversación

"Wann hast du Geburtstag? Ist es am sechsten?"

"Wohnst du auch im sechsten Stock?"

"Glaubst du an einen sechsten Sinn?"

"Ist das dein sechstes Mal in Deutschland?"

"Wer hat den sechsten Platz im Rennen gemacht?"

Temas para diario

Beschreibe deinen sechsten Tag im Urlaub. Was hast du gemacht?

Schreibe über ein Erlebnis, bei dem dich dein sechster Sinn gerettet hat.

Erinnere dich an die sechste Klasse. Was war dein Lieblingsfach?

Stell dir vor, du wohnst im sechsten Stock ohne Aufzug. Wie ist das?

Schreibe sechs Dinge auf, für die du dankbar bist. Das sechste Ding ist am wichtigsten.

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

The preposition 'an' combined with the definite article 'dem' forms 'am'. This requires the dative case. In the dative case, adjectives following a definite article always take the '-en' ending. Therefore, it must be 'am sechsten'.

Usually, no. 'Sechste' is an adjective and is written in lowercase when it modifies a noun (e.g., der sechste Tag). However, if it is used as a noun itself to refer to a person or thing (e.g., Er ist der Sechste), it must be capitalized.

In German, you do not use letters like 'th' or 'st' after a number. Instead, you simply place a period after the digit. So, '6th' is written as '6.'.

No. In Germany, the ground floor is 'Erdgeschoss' (Floor 0). The 'erste Stock' is the first floor above ground. Therefore, the 'sechste Stock' is equivalent to the 7th floor in American English.

No, this is grammatically incorrect. In German, dates absolutely must be expressed using ordinal numbers. You must say 'der sechste Mai'.

'Sechste' is an adjective meaning 'sixth' (e.g., the sixth car). 'Sechstens' is an adverb meaning 'sixthly', used when listing points in an argument or presentation.

It is pronounced like the soft 'ch' in 'ich', immediately followed by an 's' sound. It is not a hard 'k' sound like in the English word 'six'.

This is a direct translation of the English idiom 'to have a sixth sense'. It means to have strong intuition or a gut feeling about something.

This is due to adjective declension. 'Klasse' is feminine nominative/accusative, taking the '-e' ending. 'Stock' is masculine dative (because of 'im'), taking the '-en' ending.

Yes. Just like in English, you use ordinal numbers for centuries. For example, 'the sixth century' is 'das sechste Jahrhundert'.

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