un cinquième
The English phrase 'a fifth' is translated into French as un cinquième.
un cinquième is used to denote the fraction 'a fifth'. You can also use the phrase Juste un cinquième to mean 'just a fifth'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cinquième functions as both the ordinal number 'fifth' and the fraction 'a fifth'. When using it as a fraction, the noun is masculine and is preceded by the masculine article un. To express 'a fifth of [something]', you must follow the phrase with the preposition de, as in un cinquième de. For fractions greater than one, the numerator is followed by the plural form of the denominator, such as deux cinquièmes for 'two fifths'.
Did you know?
- While un cinquième is a fraction, the word cinquième is also used in the French education system to describe a specific grade level in collège for students usually aged 12 to 13.
- In music theory, a 'perfect fifth' is called une quinte. French uses a distinct word for the musical interval rather than the ordinal number cinquième.
- In traditional French pharmacy and old recipes, you might see fractions written as 1/5e, where the 'e' is a shorthand version of the suffix in cinquième.
Examples in context
- Ils contrôlaient un cinquième du territoire.They controlled a fifth part of the territory.This sentence is useful for seeing how to express a fifth part of a territory using un cinquième.Tatoeba #11254277 by lbdx, translation #325904 by zipangu
- Dans le gâteau, il y a un cinquième de la quantité recommandée de sucre.In the cake, there is a fifth of the recommended amount of sugar.
- Je vais prendre juste un cinquième de la pizza.I'll just take a fifth of the pizza.
- Il a mangé un cinquième du gâteau.He ate a fifth of the cake.
- J'ai terminé un cinquième du travail.I finished a fifth of the work.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are sharing a pizza.
- EmmaTu veux un cinquième de la pizza, Nathan ?Do you want a fifth of the pizza, Nathan?
- NathanOui, c'est parfait pour moi.Yes, that is perfect for me.
- EmmaJe vais te servir ta part maintenant.I will serve your slice now.
- NathanMerci beaucoup, Emma !Thank you very much, Emma!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
