Table of Contents
Spanish Ordinal Numbers: Your Guide to Putting Things in Order
Ever tried to explain which floor you live on, or who won a race? You're talking about order, and for that, you need ordinal numbers! While saying "one, two, three" (uno, dos, tresone, two, three) is great, sometimes you need to say "first, second, third."
Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish ordinal numbers! We'll go from primero (first) to décimo (tenth) and beyond, showing you how to use them correctly and confidently. By the end of this guide, you'll be putting everything in its proper place. ¡Vamos!
Your Top 10: Mastering Primero to Décimo
Let's start with the most common and important ordinal numbers you'll use in daily conversation. These are your top ten!
| Number | Ordinal (Masculine) | Ordinal (Feminine) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | primero | primera | pree-MEH-roh |
| 2nd | segundo | segunda | seh-GOON-doh |
| 3rd | tercero | tercera | tehr-SEH-roh |
| 4th | cuarto | cuarta | KWAR-toh |
| 5th | quinto | quinta | KEEN-toh |
| 6th | sexto | sexta | SEX-toh |
| 7th | séptimo | séptima | SEP-tee-moh |
| 8th | octavo | octava | ok-TAH-voh |
| 9th | noveno | novena | no-VEH-noh |
| 10th | décimo | décima | DEH-see-moh |
The Golden Rule: Gender Agreement
Did you notice the two columns for masculine and feminine? That's the most important rule for ordinal numbers: they are adjectives, so they must agree in gender with the noun they describe.
If the noun is masculine, use the "-o" ending. If it's feminine, use the "-a" ending.
- el pisofloor, apartment (masculine) ->
el segund**o** piso(the second floor) - la veztime, occasion (feminine) ->
la segund**a** vez(the second time) - el premioprize (masculine) ->
el quint**o** premio(the fifth prize) - la callestreet (feminine) ->
la quint**a** calle(the fifth street)
The Primero and Tercero Exception: A Special Haircut
Now for a little twist. The numbers primero (1st) and tercero (3rd) get a small "haircut" when they come before a masculine, singular noun. They drop their final "-o".
This is a very common rule, so it's essential to master!
el primer día(the first day) - NOTel primero díael tercer libro(the third book) - NOTel tercero libro
This only happens with masculine singular nouns. If the noun is feminine, or if the number comes after the noun (less common), they keep the "-o".
la primer**a** clase(the first class - feminine, no change)los primer**os** años(the first years - plural, no change)Vivo en el tercer**o**.(I live on the third one. - used as a pronoun, no change)
Let's see this in action with our slider.
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Which sentence is correct?
Beyond the Basics: Ordinal Numbers from 11th Onwards
What happens after ten? Good question! While you won't use these as often, it's good to know they exist.
For numbers 11-19, you can write them as one word or two. The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) now prefers the one-word version.
- 11th:
undécimo/undécima - 12th:
duodécimo/duodécima - 13th:
decimotercero/decimotercera - 14th:
decimocuarto/decimocuarta - 15th:
decimoquinto/decimoquinta - 16th:
decimosexto/decimosexta - 17th:
decimoséptimo/decimoséptima - 18th:
decimoctavo/decimoctava - 19th:
decimonoveno/decimonovena
For the tens, we have:
- 20th:
vigésimo - 30th:
trigésimo - 40th:
cuadragésimo - 50th:
quincuagésimo
A Native Speaker Secret
Here's a huge tip: in everyday conversation, it's extremely common for native speakers to stop using ordinal numbers after "tenth" (décimo). Instead, they just use the regular cardinal number (like "eleven, twelve, thirteen").
So, while you could say "el decimocuarto piso," you are much more likely to hear:
el piso catorce(floor fourteen)el siglo veinte(the twentieth century)el aniversario cincuenta(the fiftieth anniversary)
This makes life much easier! Focus on mastering 1-10, and know that for the rest, you can usually use the regular number.
Putting it all Together: Using Ordinal Numbers in Spanish
Now that you know the numbers, where do you put them? In Spanish, ordinal numbers almost always come before the noun.
[ordinal number] + [noun]
Let's look at some common situations.
1. Floors in a Building
This is one of the most frequent uses.
Vivimos en el **cuarto** piso.(We live on the fourth floor.)La oficina está en la **novena** planta.(The office is on the ninth floor.)
2. Sequences, Steps, or Lists
When you're giving instructions or listing things in order.
La **primera** regla es escuchar.(The first rule is to listen.)Este es el **tercer** intento.(This is the third attempt.)
3. Kings, Queens, Popes, and Centuries
For royalty and historical figures, Spanish uses ordinal numbers up to 10. After 10, they switch to cardinal numbers.
Rey Felipe **VI**(read as: Rey Felipe sexto)Papa Juan Pablo **II**(read as: Papa Juan Pablo segundo)Alfonso **XIII**(read as: Alfonso trece) - See? They switch after 10!
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
Writing it Down: Ordinal Number Abbreviations
You've probably seen numbers written like 1º or 2ª in Spanish texts. These are the abbreviations for ordinal numbers. It's super simple:
- Write the digit.
- Add the masculine
ºor feminineªsymbol to match the gender of the noun.
- primer
/primero->1º - primera
->1ª - tercer
/tercero->3º - tercera
->3ª - décimo
->10º - décima
->10ª
Keyboard Tip
Be careful not to mix up the ordinal indicator (º/ª) with the degree symbol (°). They look similar, but they're different! On most keyboards, you can find the correct symbols. Using the wrong one can look strange to a native speaker.
Common Stumbling Blocks to Avoid
Ordinal numbers have a few tricky spots. Here are the most common mistakes to watch out for.
1. Forgetting the primero/tercero "haircut"
Always remember to drop the -o before a masculine singular noun.
- Incorrect:
Es mi primero viaje a España. - Correct:
Es mi **primer** viaje a España.
2. Mismatching Gender
This is a classic. Always check the gender of your noun!
- Incorrect:
La segundo oportunidad. - Correct:
La **segunda** oportunidad.
3. Using Ordinals for Dates (A Big No-No!)
This is a major difference from English. In Spanish, you only use an ordinal number for the first day of the month. For all other days, you use the regular cardinal number.
el **primero** de mayo(the first of May)el **dos** de mayo(the second of May) - NOTel segundo de mayoel **quince** de septiembre(the fifteenth of September) - NOTel decimoquinto de septiembre
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Let's Practice!
Time to test your new skills.
How do you say 'the first girl'?
Which is the correct way to write 'the tenth chapter'?
You're First in Line!
Congratulations! You've just mastered a key part of sounding more natural in Spanish.
Let's do a quick recap of the essentials:
- Memorize 1-10: These are the most important ones (
primerotodécimo). - Match the Gender: Ordinal numbers are adjectives; they must agree with the noun (
el segundovs.la segunda). - Remember the Haircut:
Primeroandtercerobecomeprimerandtercerbefore a masculine singular noun. - Dates are Different: Only use
primerofor the first day of the month. Use regular numbers for the rest.
Keep practicing, and soon you'll be using ordinal numbers like a pro. You're on your way to being first in class!