Ordinal numbers
Números ordinales
- Learn the ordinal numbers.
- Ordinal numbers
Learn how to use Spanish ordinal numbers like primero, segundo, tercero, and beyond to express order and position. This lesson covers both regular and irregular forms, gender agreement, everyday usage examples, practical dialogues, and verb conjugation exercises to help you master Spanish ordinal numbers effectively.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (11) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify these words into two categories according to their form: regular ordinals and irregular ordinals.
Ordinales regulares
Ordinales irregulares
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
El sexto
The sixth
2
El primero
The first
3
El segundo
The second
4
El octavo
The eighth
5
El cuarto
The fourth
Ejercicio 5: Conversation exercise
Instrucción:
- On which floor does each person live? (On which floor does each person live?)
- Do you live in an apartment? On which floor do you live? (Do you live in an apartment? On which floor do you live?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Stevan vive en el noveno piso. Stevan lives on the ninth floor. |
|
Catherine vive en el décimo piso. Catherine lives on the tenth floor. |
|
Giulia vive en el primer piso. Giulia lives on the first floor. |
|
Vives en un apartamento en el sexto piso. You live in an apartment on the sixth floor. |
|
¿En qué piso vives? On what floor do you live? |
|
Vivo en la planta baja. I live on the ground floor. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Yo ___ que el primero de mayo es un día festivo en España.
(I ___ that the first of May is a holiday in Spain.)2. En el segundo trimestre, ___ hacer buen tiempo en muchas regiones.
(In the second quarter, ___ the weather is usually good in many regions.)3. El tercer día de la semana ___ reunirnos con los amigos.
(On the third day of the week ___ we usually meet with friends.)4. Yo ___ que la quinta estación es el otoño, con mucho color.
(I ___ that the fifth season is autumn, with a lot of color.)Exercise 8: A meeting to remember important dates
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Recordar - Remember
Presente
- yo recuerdo
- tú recuerdas
- él/ella/usted recuerda
- nosotros recordamos
- vosotros recordáis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes recuerdan
Tener - Have
Presente
- yo tengo
- tú tienes
- él/ella/usted tiene
- nosotros tenemos
- vosotros tenéis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen
Organizar - Organize
Presente
- yo organizo
- tú organizas
- él/ella/usted organiza
- nosotros organizamos
- vosotros organizáis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes organizan
Exercise 9: Los números ordinales
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Ordinal numbers
Show translation Show answersséptimo, quinto, primer, sexto, cuarta, primero, tercer, octavo
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Recordar to remember Share Copied!
Presente
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| (yo) recuerdo | I remember |
| (tú) recuerdas | You remember |
| (él/ella) recuerda | he remembers/she remembers |
| (nosotros/nosotras) recordamos | we remember |
| (vosotros/vosotras) recordáis | you remember |
| (ellos/ellas) recuerdan | they remember |
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Understanding Ordinal Numbers in Spanish
Ordinal numbers in Spanish are words that indicate the position or order of things in a sequence, such as first, second, third, and so on. In this lesson, you will learn both regular and irregular ordinal numbers, how to use them correctly with nouns, and practice through dialogues and exercises.
Key Ordinal Numbers
Some important ordinal numbers include el primero (the first), el segundo (the second), el tercero (the third), and regular forms like el cuarto (the fourth), el quinto (the fifth), el sexto (the sixth), etc. Notice that the first three are irregular forms, while the rest usually follow a consistent pattern.
Usage in Context
Ordinal numbers are often used when talking about floors in a building (e.g., Mi apartamento está en el quinto piso), positions in a line (e.g., El primero en la fila entra al cine), dates and meetings (e.g., Recuerda que la reunión es el segundo lunes de cada mes), and ranking (e.g., En la carrera, llegué en cuarto lugar).
Practical Exercises Included
The lesson provides practical dialogues like buying tickets in a queue or organizing books on shelves to help you apply ordinal numbers in everyday situations. There are also fill-in-the-blank exercises focusing on verb conjugations with verbs like recordar (to remember) and a short story to reinforce date-related vocabulary.
Important Grammar Notes
Remember that ordinal numbers must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe (e.g., la primera estantería, el tercer día). Also, some ordinal numbers are irregular, so they must be memorized separately from regular forms.
Differences Between English and Spanish Ordinal Numbers
In Spanish, ordinal numbers change according to gender and sometimes number, unlike English, which is generally invariant (e.g., first, second, third). For instance, in Spanish, you say el primer piso (masculine) but la primera planta (feminine). Also, only the first three ordinal numbers are irregular (primero, segundo, tercero), while the others follow more regular patterns.
Useful Phrases:
- Estoy en el segundo lugar. — I am in the second place.
- La primera pregunta es fácil. — The first question is easy.
- El quinto piso tiene una terraza. — The fifth floor has a terrace.
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