Ordinals in Spanish are words used to indicate order or position, such as "first," "second," "third," and so on. They are derived from Latin and follow specific rules for agreement in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). Ordinals are commonly used for dates, rankings, and sequences.
Regular Ordinals
Regular ordinals are formed by adding the appropriate ending to the root, and they follow predictable patterns. These include primer (first), segundo (second), tercero (third), and continue with cardinal number bases for higher ordinals.
| Spanish Singular Masculine | Spanish Singular Feminine | English Singular | Spanish Plural Masculine | Spanish Plural Feminine | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| primer (primer, used before masculine singular noun) | primera | first | primeros | primeras | first (plural) |
| segundo | segunda | second | segundos | segundas | second (plural) |
| tercero (tercer, used before masculine singular noun) | tercera | third | terceros | terceras | third (plural) |
| cuarto | cuarta | fourth | cuartos | cuartas | fourth (plural) |
| quinto | quinta | fifth | quintos | quintas | fifth (plural) |
| sexto | sexta | sixth | sextos | sextas | sixth (plural) |
| séptimo | séptima | seventh | séptimos | séptimas | seventh (plural) |
| octavo | octava | eighth | octavos | octavas | eighth (plural) |
| noveno | novena | ninth | novenos | novenas | ninth (plural) |
| décimo | décima | tenth | décimos | décimas | tenth (plural) |
Notes on Usage
- Primer and tercer are shortened forms used only before masculine singular nouns (e.g., primer día, tercer lugar).
- From cuarto onward, the ordinal is simply the cardinal number plus the ordinal ending.
- All ordinals must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
Higher Ordinals
For ordinals beyond the tenth, Spanish typically uses the cardinal number with the suffix -ésimo (masculine) or -ésima (feminine). These are more formal and often used in legal, scientific, or historical contexts. Some have irregular roots.
| Spanish Singular Masculine | Spanish Singular Feminine | English Singular | Spanish Plural Masculine | Spanish Plural Feminine | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| décimo | décima | tenth | décimos | décimas | tenth (plural) |
| undécimo | undécima | eleventh | undécimos | undécimas | eleventh (plural) |
| duodécimo | duodécima | twelfth | duodécimos | duodécimas | twelfth (plural) |
| decimotercer (decimotercer, before masculine singular noun) | decimotercera | thirteenth | decimoterceros | decimoterceras | thirteenth (plural) |
| decimocuarto | decimocuarta | fourteenth | decimocuartos | decimocuartas | fourteenth (plural) |
| vigésimo | vigésima | twentieth | vigésimos | vigésimas | twentieth (plural) |
| trigésimo | trigésima | thirtieth | trigésimos | trigésimas | thirtieth (plural) |
| cuadragésimo | cuadragésima | fortieth | cuadragésimos | cuadragésimas | fortieth (plural) |
| quincuagésimo | quincuagésima | fiftieth | quincuagésimos | quincuagésimas | fiftieth (plural) |
Notes on Formation
- The suffix -ésimo is added to the root of the cardinal number, sometimes with slight spelling changes for pronunciation.
- Compound ordinals combine the root with the appropriate suffix (e.g., decimotercer).
- These forms are less common in everyday speech but appear in formal writing.
Usage and Agreement
Ordinal numbers must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. They can be used as adjectives or, less commonly, as nouns.
| Spanish Example | English Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| el tercer capítulo | the third chapter | tercer is used before masculine singular noun capítulo |
| la tercera página | the third page | feminine singular form tercera |
| los primeros días | the first days | masculine plural primeros |
| las segundas oportunidades | the second chances | feminine plural segundas |
| el vigésimo aniversario | the twentieth anniversary | masculine singular vigésimo |
third chapter
El tercer capítulo
'tercer' is the shortened form used before masculine singular nouns like 'capítulo.' Do not use 'tercero' in this position.
Special Cases and Irregularities
| Spanish Singular Masculine | Spanish Singular Feminine | English Singular | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| primer (before masculine singular noun) | primera | first | Shortened form used before masculine singular nouns |
| tercer (before masculine singular noun) | tercera | third | Shortened form used before masculine singular nouns |
| undécimo / décimoprimero | undécima / décimaprimera | eleventh | Both forms are correct; undécimo is more common |
| duodécimo / décimosegundo | duodécima / décimosegunda | twelfth | Both forms are correct; duodécimo is more common |
Usage Notes
- Shortened forms (primer, tercer) never take plural endings and are only used before masculine singular nouns.
- For 11th and 12th, two systems exist: undécimo/duodécimo (traditional) and décimoprimero/décimosegundo (compound). The former is more common in formal contexts.
twelfth
- duodécimo / duodécima
- décimosegundo / décimosegunda
'duodécimo'/'duodécima' and 'décimosegundo'/'décimosegunda' are correct for "twelfth." 'Doceavo' is incorrect in ordinal contexts.
Ordinals as Nouns
Ordinals can stand alone as nouns when the noun is understood from context. In such cases, they take the appropriate gender and number endings.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| el primero / la primera | los primeros / las primeras | the first one | the first ones | La primera llegó temprano. (The first one arrived early.) |
| el segundo / la segunda | los segundos / las segundas | the second one | the second ones | El segundo perdió su turno. (The second one lost their turn.) |
| el tercero / la tercera | los terceros / las terceras | the third one | the third ones | Los terceros están en la fila. (The third ones are in line.) |
the third ones are in line (masculine plural)
Los terceros están en la fila.
'Los terceros' uses masculine plural endings to match the implicit plural noun.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| usar tercer en plural (e.j., terceros libros) | usar terceros | tercer solo se usa antes de sustantivos masculinos singulares; plural es terceros |
| usar ordinales sin concordancia (e.j., segunda día) | usar segundo día | El ordinal debe coincidir en género y número con el sustantivo |
| usar 11° como *onceavo | usar undécimo o décimoprimero | Onceavo* significa "underground" o "once-divided," no es ordinal correcto |
| escribir primeros10 sin espacio | escribir primeros | Siempre se debe usar espacio entre ordinal y número o sustantivo |
Summary
- Ordinals indicate position or order and agree in gender and number.
- Use primer and tercer only before masculine singular nouns.
- Regular ordinals from 1 to 10 have unique forms; beyond that, use -ésimo suffixes.
- Higher ordinals and some teens have irregular roots.
- Ordinals can function as adjectives or nouns.
- Avoid common gender and agreement errors.
Understanding these rules and patterns will help you use Spanish ordinals correctly in writing and conversation.
Flashcards (1 of 31)
- English Singular: first
- English Plural: first (plural)
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
