zu dritt
in a group of three
Describes that a group consists of three people or that an action is carried out jointly by three people.
EXAMPLE
Wir waren gestern zu dritt im Kino.
There were three of us at the movies yesterday.
dritt
third
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Meanings
dritt-
third-
As part of compound words, used to indicate the position 'in third place' in an order.
EXAMPLE
Frankfurt hat den drittgrößten Flughafen Europas.
Frankfurt has the third-largest airport in Europe.
jeder, jede, jedes dritte
every third
Refers to an element that always stands in the third position in a regular sequence.
EXAMPLE
Jeder dritte Befragte war mit dem Service unzufrieden.
Every third respondent was dissatisfied with the service.
Usage tips
Fixed expression: group size
The form 'zu dritt' (as three / in a group of three) is part of a series ('allein' (alone), 'zu zweit' (as two), 'zu dritt' (as three), 'zu viert' (as four), etc.) that indicates how many people a group consists of. The expression is invariable and is used like an adverb.
EXAMPLE
Wir sind zu dritt in den Urlaub gefahren.
The three of us went on vacation together.
Prefix in compounds
As the first part of a compound word, 'dritt-' means 'in third place'. In these words, 'dritt-' remains unchanged, while the second part, usually a superlative, is declined.
EXAMPLE
Er hat die drittbeste Zeit im Wettbewerb erreicht.
He achieved the third-best time in the competition.
Element in a sequence
In the construction 'jeder/jede/jedes dritte' (every third), 'dritte' is declined like a normal adjective. This expression selects an element from a regular sequence.
EXAMPLE
Jedes dritte Auto auf dem Parkplatz war rot.
Every third car in the parking lot was red.
Compare with
dritt vs Drittel
third
Dritt and Drittel both relate to the number three, but they do not mean the same thing. Zu dritt describes three people doing something together, while ein Drittel means one of three equal parts. Use dritt for a group of people and Drittel for a portion.
dritt
Wir gingen zu dritt zum Markt und kauften frisches Gemüse.
The three of us went to the market and bought fresh vegetables.
Drittel
Jede der drei Familien bekam ein Drittel des Kuchens.
Each of the three families received a third of the cake.
In real life
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