Lesson 12: Ordinal Numbers, Dates, 'würde' Wish Structure & Temporal Prepositions
The finale of Level A1: Complete guide to Ordinalzahlen & Datum, Konjunktiv II with 'würde', temporal prepositions, and celebration greetings
Welcome to the 12th and final lesson of German Level A1.2! This lesson represents a crucial milestone where we pull together essential grammar rules and expressions needed to talk about precise dates and appointments, express future wishes politely using würde, review temporal prepositions, and learn vocabulary for holidays and greetings. All German sentences feature interactive audio buttons alongside an extensive dialogue.
All words, phrases, and dialogues in this lesson feature high-quality interactive audio pronunciation. For the best experience, please open this page in Google Chrome and click on the audio buttons.
1. Ordinal Numbers & Writing Dates (Ordinalzahlen & Datum)
Ordinal numbers (Ordinalzahlen) are used to indicate numerical sequence, days of the month, and dates. The endings of ordinal numbers change depending on their position in the sentence and whether they follow a preposition.
Rules for Adding Ordinal Endings
A) Numbers from 1 to 19: Add the ending -te in the nominative case (Nominativ), or -ten after prepositions (Dativ/Akkusativ).
B) Numbers 20 and above: Add the ending -ste in the nominative case (Nominativ), or -sten after prepositions.
- 1: eins ← erste (not einste)
- 3: drei ← dritte (not dreite)
- 7: sieben ← siebte (not siebente)
- 8: acht ← achte (written with a single 't')
Expressing Dates in Sentences
Case 1: Today's Date (Question: Welches Datum ist heute?)
Use the definite article der and add the ending -te (or -ste) to the ordinal number:
Case 2: Setting an Appointment with a Preposition (Question: Wann?)
Use the preposition am (or the structure vom ... bis zum ...) and add the ending -ten (or -sten):
📊 Comparative Table of Ordinal Numbers
| Number | Nominative Case (Heute ist der...) | With Preposition (Am ... / Vom ... bis zum...) | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | der erste | am ersten | |
| 2 | der zweite | am zweiten | |
| 3 | der dritte | am dritten | |
| 4 | der vierte | am vierten | |
| 7 | der siebte | am siebten | |
| 20 | der zwanzigste | am zwanzigsten | |
| 31 | der einunddreißigste | am einunddreißigsten |
2. Expressing Wishes & Polite Requests with 'würde' (Konjunktiv II mit würde)
The Konjunktiv II form built with the auxiliary verb 'würde' serves two main purposes in everyday German conversations:
- 1. Future Wishes (Wünsche): Things we would like to do but aren't real at the moment (frequently paired with gern or lieber).
- 2. Polite Requests (Höfliche Bitten): Asking for help or making a request in a very polite manner.
⚙️ Sentence Structure:
The auxiliary verb würde is placed in Position 2 conjugated according to the subject, while the main verb goes to the **very end of the sentence in its infinitive form (Infinitiv)**.
| Position 1 | Position 2 (würde) | Middle of Sentence | End of Sentence (Infinitiv) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ich | würde | gern nach Deutschland | reisen. |
| Würdest | du | mir bitte | helfen? |
📊 Conjugation Table for 'würde':
| Pronoun (Pronomen) | Conjugation | Example Sentence | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ich | würde | Ich würde gern ein Auto kaufen. | |
| du | würdest | Würdest du mir bitte helfen? | |
| er / es / sie | würde | Er würde lieber zu Hause bleiben. | |
| wir | würden | Wir würden gern Pizza essen. | |
| ihr | würdet | Was würdet ihr machen? | |
| sie / Sie | würden | Sie würden gern mitkommen. |
3. Comprehensive Temporal Prepositions (Temporale Präpositionen)
Temporal prepositions are used to answer the question Wann? (When?). Here is the ultimate golden summary for temporal prepositions learned in Level A1:
| Preposition | Usage | German Examples | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| am | For days of the week, times of day, and specific dates | am Montag, am Morgen, am 3. Mai | |
| im | For months and the four seasons | im Juni, im Sommer, im Jahr 2026 | |
| um | For exact clock times | um 12:00 Uhr, um wie viel Uhr | |
| von ... bis ... | For a time frame with start and end (without articles) | von 12 bis 17 Uhr, von Montag bis Freitag | |
| vom ... bis zum ... | For a time span between two specific dates | vom 12. Juni bis zum 19. Juli |
4. Holidays, Celebrations & Greetings (Feste & Glückwünsche)
Essential vocabulary dictionary for official celebrations and how to wish someone well in German:
1️⃣ Celebrations & Holidays (Feste & Feiertage):
| German Term | English Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|
der Feiertag |
Public holiday / Celebration day | |
die Hochzeit |
Wedding ceremony | |
der Geburtstag |
Birthday | |
das Neujahr / Silvester |
New Year / New Year's Eve | |
die Prüfung bestehen |
To pass an exam |
2️⃣ Expressions for Greetings & Wishes (Glückwünsche):
5. Comprehensive Practical Dialogue (Großer Dialog)
A conversation between two friends (Sami and Anna) planning summer vacation and a birthday party, utilizing all grammar points (dates, 'würde', and temporal prepositions):
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How do we form German ordinal numbers from 1 to 19?
We add the ending -te in the nominative case (e.g., der vierte) or -ten after prepositions (e.g., am vierten). Note the irregular forms: erste (1st), dritte (3rd), and siebte (7th).
2. What is the difference in endings for ordinal numbers 20 and above?
Numbers from 20 onwards take the ending -ste in nominative case (e.g., der zwanzigste) and -sten after prepositions (e.g., am zwanzigsten).
3. How do we answer 'Welches Datum ist heute?' (What is today's date)?
We say: Heute ist der + ordinal number (-te/-ste) + month name. Example: Heute ist der erste Mai.
4. How do we specify a date using prepositions in German?
We use the preposition am or the structure vom ... bis zum ... and ordinal numbers take the ending -ten or -sten (e.g., am ersten März).
5. What is the sentence structure when using the wish form 'würde'?
The auxiliary verb würde goes in Position 2 conjugated according to the subject, while the main verb goes to the end of the sentence in its infinitive form (Infinitiv).
6. When do we use 'würde' in German?
It is used to express polite requests (Höfliche Bitten) such as Würdest du mir helfen? or future wishes (Wünsche) such as Ich würde gern reisen.
7. What is the difference between temporal prepositions 'am', 'im', and 'um'?
We use am for days and specific dates (am Montag / am 3. Mai), im for months and seasons (im Juni / im Sommer), and um for exact times (um 8 Uhr).
8. How do you congratulate someone on passing an exam in German?
You can say: Ich gratuliere dir ganz herzlich zur bestanden Prüfung! or simply Herzlichen Glückwunsch!.
Educational References & Sources
List of Approved German Curriculum References
This lesson has been structured, reviewed, and compiled based on globally recognized German textbooks following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR):
- Momente A1 Lehrbuch & Arbeitsbuch - Hueber Verlag
- Schritte International Neu A1.2 - Hueber Verlag
- Netzwerk neu A1.2 Kursbuch - Klett Sprachen
- Begegnungen Deutsch als Fremdsprache A1+ - Schubert-Verlag
- Grammatik aktiv: A1-B1 Übungsgrammatik - Cornelsen Verlag
- Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 Guidelines - Goethe-Institut
- Duden - Die Grammatik & Datumsangaben - Dudenverlag
- telc Deutsch A1 Examination Objectives - telc gGmbH
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