Learn how to use Spanish ordinal numbers from first to tenth, including gender agreement and important pronunciation tips. Understand differences with English ordinals and practice with common examples like primero/primera, segundo/segunda, and tercero/tercera.
- They are used to indicate the position of an element in a sequence.
- Ordinal numbers must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to.
- From 11 onwards, cardinal numbers are used more frequently than ordinal numbers.
| Número (Number) | Masculino (Masculine) | Femenino (Feminine) |
|---|---|---|
| 1º / 1ª | Primero (First) | Primera (First) |
| 2º / 2ª | Segundo (Second) | Segunda (Second) |
| 3º / 3ª | Tercero (Third) | Tercera (Third) |
| 4º / 4ª | Cuarto (Fourth) | Cuarta (Fourth) |
| 5º / 5ª | Quinto (Fifth) | Quinta (Fifth) |
| 6º / 6ª | Sexto (Sixth) | Sexta (Sixth) |
| 7º / 7ª | Séptimo (Seventh) | Séptima (Seventh) |
| 8º / 8ª | Octavo (Eighth) | Octava (Eighth) |
| 9º / 9ª | Noveno (Ninth) | Novena (Ninth) |
| 10º / 10ª | Décimo (Tenth) | Décima (Tenth) |
Exceptions!
- "Primero" and "tercero" lose the final "o" in front of masculine singular nouns.
Exercise 1: Los números ordinales
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
séptimo, quinto, primer, sexto, cuarta, primero, tercer, octavo
1.
3º:
Estamos en el ... año de matrimonio.
(We are in the third year of marriage.)
2.
8º:
Agosto es el ... mes del año.
(August is the eighth month of the year.)
3.
5ª:
Mayo es el ... mes del año.
(May is the fifth month of the year.)
4.
4ª:
Es la ... vez que llamo a mi madre.
(It is the fourth time I call my mother.)
5.
6º:
Junio es el ... mes del año.
(June is the sixth month of the year.)
6.
7º:
Vivo en el ... piso.
(I live on the seventh floor.)
7.
1º:
¿Este piso es el ...?
(Is this the first floor?)
8.
1º:
Hoy es el ... día del mes.
(Today is the first day of the month.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. El ______ capítulo es muy interesante.
(The ______ chapter is very interesting.)2. Ella vive en el ______ piso de este edificio.
(She lives on the ______ floor of this building.)3. El ______ día de la semana es miércoles.
(The ______ day of the week is Wednesday.)4. Recuerdo el ______ concierto con mucho cariño.
(I remember the ______ concert with much affection.)5. El ______ alumno llegó tarde a clase.
(The ______ student arrived late to class.)6. Recordamos el ______ aniversario de la empresa.
(We remember the ______ anniversary of the company.)