Questions & Answers about Ik zie de achtste en de negende student.
Why does "eighth" end in -ste (achtste) but "ninth" ends in -de (negende)?
For numbers 1 through 19, Dutch usually adds -de to make an ordinal number (like negende for 9th, or tiende for 10th). The exceptions are 1st (eerste), 3rd (derde), and 8th (achtste), which take -ste. From 20 onwards, all ordinal numbers get -ste.
The word for eight is acht and the ending is -ste. Why isn't it spelled with two t's?
When combining acht and -ste, Dutch spelling rules merge the double 't' into a single one. It just becomes achtste rather than "achttste" to make it easier to read.
Why is the word student singular when we are looking at two people?
Because you are pointing out one specific 8th student and one specific 9th student. Just like in the English translation, the noun student stays singular.
Is it necessary to repeat the word de before negende?
Yes, repeating de is important here. It makes it clear that you are talking about two distinct students rather than one student who is somehow both 8th and 9th.