das Fünftel
fifth
One of five equal parts of a whole; the fraction 1/5.
EXAMPLE
Ein Fünftel der Befragten war mit dem Vorschlag nicht einverstanden.
One fifth of the respondents did not agree with the proposal.
das Fünftel
fifth
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
Fractions like 'das Fünftel' (the fifth) are often derived from the corresponding ordinal number, here from 'fünfte' (fifth). It is treated like a noun and is therefore capitalized.
EXAMPLE
Für das Rezept benötigst du nur ein Fünftel der Packung.
For the recipe, you only need one fifth of the package.
Use with nouns
When the fraction refers to a group or quantity, it is usually followed by the genitive or a 'von' construction with the dative. The genitive is somewhat more formal.
EXAMPLE
Ein Fünftel der Mitarbeiter war krank.
One fifth of the employees were sick.
Countability
Although it describes a part, 'Fünftel' (fifth) itself can be counted. So you can also say 'zwei Fünftel' (two fifths) or 'drei Fünftel' (three fifths).
EXAMPLE
Zwei Fünftel des Kuchens sind noch übrig.
Two fifths of the cake are still left.
In real life
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