dai6 saam1第三
Jyutpingdai6 saam1
Yaledaih sāam
Definition
Third; the third item or place in a sequence.
colloquialnumberstime
How it's used
Ordinal numbers in Cantonese are formed by prefixing 第 to the cardinal number. When referring to a specific person or object in a sequence, it is standard to add a classifier like 個 after the number to make the reference concrete.
Examples
He was the third one to come out in the class.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often forget to include the classifier 個 when referring to a specific person or thing, which can make the sentence sound incomplete or overly formal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
