Ordinals are a type of number word used to show the position of something in a list or order. They are different from regular numbers (cardinals) that tell “how many.” Ordinals tell “which one” in a sequence.
Usage
Ordinal numbers are used for:
- Showing order in a list (3rd person in line)
- Labeling dates (July 4th)
- Naming things (Chapter 2, Apartment 5B)
- Ranking (She finished 1st in the race)
Common Ordinal Numbers
Here are the first 20 ordinal numbers in English:
| Ordinal | Example (English) | Example (English) | Spanish | Spanish | Spanish | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| st | first | She won first place. | primero / primera | Él llegó primero. | Ella es la primera. | |
| nd | second | This is my second try. | segundo / segunda | Este es mi segundo intento. | Ella es la segunda. | |
| rd | third | He came in third. | tercero / tercera | Él llegó tercero. | Ella es la tercera. | |
| th | fourth | The fourth chapter | cuarto / cuarta | El cuarto capítulo | La cuarta persona | |
| th | fifth | My fifth birthday | quinto / quinta | Mi quinto cumpleaños | Quinta avenida | |
| th | sixth | The sixth day | sexto / sexta | El sexto día | Sexta fila | |
| th | seventh | Seventh Heaven | séptimo / séptima | Séptimo cielo | Séptima edición | |
| th | eighth | Eighth grade | octavo / octava | Octavo grado | Octava semana | |
| th | ninth | The ninth page | noveno / novena | Novena página | Novena posición | |
| th | tenth | Tenth anniversary | décimo / décima | Décimo aniversario | Décima vez | |
| th | eleventh | Eleventh hour | undécimo / undécima | A la undécima hora | Undécima edición | |
| th | twelfth | Twelfth night | duodécimo / duodécima | Noche de duodécimo | Duodécima página | |
| th | thirteenth | Thirteenth guest | decimotercero / decimotercera | Decimotercer invitado | Decimotercera fila | |
| th | fourteenth | Fourteenth century | decimocuarto / decimocuarta | Siglo decimocuarto | Decimocuarta planta | |
| th | fifteenth | Fifteenth note | decimoquinto / decimoquinta | Quinta decimoquinto | Quinta decimoquinta | |
| th | sixteenth | Sixteenth street | decimosexto / decimosexta | Calle decimosexta | Planta decimosexta | |
| th | seventeenth | Seventeenth problem | decimoséptimo / decimoséptima | Ejercicio decimoséptimo | Edición decimoséptima | |
| th | eighteenth | Eighteenth century | decimoctavo / decimoctava | Siglo decimoctavo | Decimoctava posición | |
| th | nineteenth | Nineteenth question | decimonoveno / decimonovena | Pregunta decimonovena | Edición decimonovena | |
| th | twentieth | Twentieth century | vigésimo / vigésima | Siglo vigésimo | Décimo vigésima fila |
Forming Ordinals
- Most ordinals are formed by adding -th to the cardinal number (four → fourth)
- Special forms: *first, second, third, fifth, eighth, ninth, twelfth
- For compound numbers, use the ordinal form on the last word (twenty-one → twenty-first)
How are most English ordinal numbers formed?
By adding -th to the cardinal number
Most ordinals are formed by adding -th (e.g., four → fourth).
Spoken and Written Forms
- In speaking, say “first,” “second,” “third,” etc.
- In writing, ordinals usually end with st, nd, rd, or th (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th)
- Use ordinals with dates: October 3rd, July 1st
Examples in Sentences
| Usage | Example | Example | Example | Example | Example | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order | She finished third in the race. | Llegó tercera en la carrera. | He was the second person to arrive. | Él fue la segunda persona en llegar. | This is my fourth time here. | Esta es mi cuarta vez aquí. |
| Dates | My birthday is on May 5th. | Mi cumpleaños es el 5 de mayo. | We met on July 21st. | Nos conocimos el 21 de julio. | The meeting is on the 12th. | La reunión es el día 12. |
| Labels | Turn to page 10th in the book. | Ve a la página 10 en el libro. | This is Apartment 3B. | Este es el apartamento 3B. | See Chapter 7th for more info. | Consulta el capítulo 7 para más info. |
| Ranking | She took first place in the contest. | Ella tomó el primer lugar en el concurso. | They came in second and third. | Llegaron segundo y tercero. | He was fifth on the list. | Él estaba quinto en la lista. |
Translate: She finished third in the race.
Llegó tercera en la carrera.
The provided Spanish translation uses the correct feminine ordinal form 'tercera.'
More Examples
| Ordinal | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| st | twenty-first | vigésimo / vigésima primera |
| nd | twenty-second | vigésimo / vigésima segunda |
| rd | twenty-third | vigésimo / vigésima tercera |
| th | twenty-fourth | vigésimo / vigésima cuarta |
| th | twenty-fifth | vigésimo / vigésima quinta |
| th | thirtieth | trigésimo / trigésima |
| th | fortieth | cuadragésimo / cuadragésima |
| th | fiftieth | quincuagésimo / quincuagésima |
| th | hundredth | centésimo / centésima |
| th | thousandth | milésimo / milésima |
Summary
- Ordinals show order or position, not quantity.
- Use -th for most, but some are irregular (first, second, third).
- Use ordinals with dates, rankings, and labels.
- Say “twenty-first,” not “twenty-one first.”
Flashcards (1 of 30)
- Ordinal: 1st
- Example (English): She won first place.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
