Ordinal numbers are used to tell the order or rank – first, second, third, fourth, etc. Although in English ordinal numbers are widely used and can extend even into the hundreds, in Spanish only the ordinal numbers up to tenth are common. In this article, we are going to see ordinal numbers in Spanish from 1st to 10th.
Ordinal Numbers in Spanish
From 1st to 10th
The ordinal numbers in Spanish from 1st to 10th are as follows:
| ORDINAL NUMBERS 1st-10th | |
| 1º | |
| 2º | |
| 3º | |
| 4º | |
| 5º | |
| 6º | |
| 7º | |
| 8º | |
| 9º | |
| 10º |
When using ordinal numbers with nouns, 1st to 10th are placed in front of the noun. They are always used after a determiner (article, quantifier, demonstrative, possessive…). Also, ordinal numbers in Spanish function as adjectives, and therefore must always agree with the noun they modify in both number and gender. All of them have feminine and plural forms.
You will notice in Spanish that a raised o/a (
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| 2º (with masculine nouns) | ||
| 2ª (with feminine nouns) |
Mi hermana es la primera de la clase.
My sister is the best in the class.
El cuarto premio es para esa actriz.
The fourth prize goes to that actress.
Mi apartamento está en el quinto piso.
My apartment is on the fifth floor.
¿Tú vives en el séptimo piso? Yo también.
Do you live on the seventh floor? Me too.
Esta es nuestra octava sobrina y estamos contentos.
This is our eighth daughter, and we are happy.
Mi artista favorito acaba de lanzar su décimo disco.
My favorite artist has just launched his tenth album.
The noun is not always necessary. For example,
Yo vivo en el segundo piso y tú vives en el cuarto.
I live on the second floor and you live on the fourth floor.
Mi maleta es la cuarta en salir.
My suitcase is the first one to get out.
Yo soy el segundo en hablar.
I’m the second one to speak out.
Number 1st and 3rd with Nouns
The ordinal numbers
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| 1º (with masculine nouns) | ||
| 1ª (with feminine nouns) |
Es el primer libro del autor.
It is the first book from the author.
Es la primera novela del autor.
It is the first novel from the author.
Son los dos primeros libros del autor.
They are the two first books from the author.
Son las dos primeras novelas del autor.
They are the two first novels from the author.
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| 3º (with masculine nouns) | ||
| 3ª (with feminine nouns) |
El tercer premio es para esa actriz.
The third prize goes to that actress.
La tercera medalla es para esa actriz.
The third medal goes to that actress.
Los terceros premios son para esa actriz.
The third prizes go to that actress.
Las terceras medallas son para esa actriz.
The third medals go to that actress.
Exercises
Let’s do some exercises to practice ordinal numbers in Spanish (1st-10th). If you want to continue doing exercises on numbers, you can practice numbers from 0 to 100, numbers from 100 to 1000 and numbers over 1000.