sechs
six
The cardinal number that follows five; the digit 6.
EXAMPLE
Ein Würfel hat sechs Seiten.
A die has six sides.
sechs
six
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
sechs
six o'clock
Indicates the time 6 a.m. or 6 p.m.
EXAMPLE
Der Zug fährt pünktlich um sechs ab.
The train departs on time at six.
sechs
six
The worst school grade ('insufficient/fail') in the German grading system.
EXAMPLE
Für seine leere Abgabe hat er die Note sechs bekommen.
For his blank submission, he got a grade of six.
Usage tips
Cultural context: school grade
In the German school system, 'eine Sechs' (a six) is the worst grade and means 'ungenügend' (fail). A good grade, by contrast, is 'eine Eins' (a one).
EXAMPLE
Er hat in der Matheprüfung eine Sechs geschrieben.
He got a six on the math exam.
Stating the time
To state a time, you use the preposition 'um' (at). The sentence 'Wir treffen uns um sechs' (We are meeting at six) can mean 6:00 in the morning or 6:00 in the evening. The context usually makes it clear.
EXAMPLE
Der Wecker klingelt jeden Morgen um sechs.
The alarm clock rings every morning at six.
In compound numbers
In two-digit numbers up to 99, German names the ones digit before the tens digit. The pattern is 'ones and tens', for example 'sechsundzwanzig' (six-and-twenty) for 26.
EXAMPLE
Meine Oma wird nächste Woche sechsundachtzig Jahre alt.
My grandma will turn eighty-six next week.
Use as a noun
The number 'sechs' (six) can also be used as the noun 'die Sechs' (the six). You use it, for example, for a bus line, a house number, or the result when rolling dice.
EXAMPLE
Du musst die Sechs nehmen, um zum Bahnhof zu kommen.
You have to take the six to get to the train station.
Compare with
sechs vs sechst
six
Sechs simply states the number. Zu sechst, on the other hand, describes six people forming a group together. Use sechs before a counted noun and sechst only in the fixed expression zu sechst.
sechs
Sechs Freunde fahren gemeinsam an den See.
Six friends are going to the lake together.
sechst
Die Freunde fahren zu sechst an den See.
The friends are going to the lake as a group of six.
In real life
Loading video examples...