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Definition
Decade; a period of ten years.
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How it's used
This term is strictly formal and literary, primarily reserved for describing the age of elderly people in celebratory contexts. It is almost never used in everyday speech to count time periods like decades in a historical or general sense. You will mostly encounter it on formal invitation cards or during birthday speeches for the elderly.
Examples
He is celebrating his eightieth birthday this year.
Common phrases
eightieth birthday celebration
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a span of ten years in a non-human context, such as referring to a decade of progress or a decade of history. It is exclusively tied to human age and carries a respectful, elevated tone.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
