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Questions & Answers about Dit is de eerste keer.
Why do we use keer for "time" instead of tijd?
In Dutch, keer is used for an instance, occasion, or repetition (like "the first time", "next time", or "three times"). Tijd is used for time as a general concept, like the time on a clock or having enough time to read a book.
Since keer is a de-word, why do we say Dit is instead of Deze is?
When you introduce a new subject or point to a situation with "this is" or "that is", Dutch always uses the fixed combinations dit is or dat is. It doesn't matter if the noun later in the sentence is a de-word or a het-word! You would only use deze if you were directly attaching it to the noun, like in deze keer (this time).
Why does eerste have an -e at the end?
Here, the word eerste (first) acts like an adjective describing the noun keer. Because it comes directly after the definite article de, it gets an -e added to the end. If you just say eerst without the -e, it usually acts as an adverb meaning "firstly" or "first of all" (for example: Ik ga eerst eten - I am going to eat first).