Los números ordinales

The Ordinal Numbers

(Los números ordinales)

Ordinal numbers vs. Cardinal numbers

Ordinal numbers are those that refer to the order of things.

You use ordinal numbers to place things in order (first, second, third, etc.)

In Spanish, only the first ten ordinal numbers are used often. They generally follow definite articles and precede nouns. 

Like other adjectives in Spanish, the ordinal numbers agree in gender (mas/fem) and number (sing/plur) with the noun they modify.

primero/a
segundo/a
tercero/a
cuarto/a
quinto/a

first
second
third
fourth
fifth

sexto/a
séptimo/a
octavo/a
noveno/a
décimo/a

sixth
seventh
eighth
ninth
tenth

The Ordinal Numbers

*Plural forms exist as well (primeros, primeras, quintos, quintas, etc.), but are less
frequently used.

*If primero or tercero come BEFORE a singular, masculine noun, drop the –o. This
does not apply to the feminine version.

Match

Match the following

• Primero

• Segundo

• Tercero

• Cuarto

• Quinto

First

Second

Third

Fourth

Fifth

• First

• Second

• Third

• Fourth

• Fifth

Labelling

Drag the ordinal number to the correct man.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Quinto

Cuarto

Tercer

Segundo

Primer

Reorder

Reorder the following

• quinta

• sexta

• séptima

• octava

• novena

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5