Ordinal Numbers in Spanish
Just here for the exercises? Click here.What are ordinal numbers in Spanish?
Ordinal numbers (los números ordinales) allow us to put things in an order, ranking or sequence.
Spanish ordinal numbers from 1º to 1.000.000º
1º | primero | 11º | undécimo / décimo primero / decimoprimero | 21º | vigésimo primero / vigesimoprimero | 31º | trigésimo primero | 200º | ducentésimo |
2º | segundo | 12º | duodécimo / décimo segundo / decimosegundo | 22º | vigésimo segundo / vigesimosegundo | 40º | cuadragésimo | 211º | ducentésimo undécimo / ducentésimo décimo primero / ducentésimo decimoprimero |
3º | tercero | 13º | décimo tercero / decimotercero | 23º | vigésimo tercero / vigesimotercero | 50º | quincuagésimo | 235º | ducentésimo trigésimo quinto |
4º | cuarto | 14º | décimo cuarto / decimocuarto | 24º | vigésimo cuarto / vigesimocuarto | 60º | sexagésimo | 300º | tricentésimo |
5º | quinto | 15º | décimo quinto / decimoquinto | 25º | vigésimo quinto / vigesimoquinto | 70º | septuagésimo | 400º | cuadringentésimo |
6º | sexto | 16º | décimo sexto / decimosexto | 26º | vigésimo sexto / vigesimosexto | 80º | octogésimo | 500º | quingentésimo |
7º | séptimo | 17º | décimo séptimo / decimoséptimo | 27º | vigésimo séptimo / vigesimoséptimo | 90º | nonagésimo | 600º | sexcentésimo |
8º | octavo | 18º | décimo octavo / decimoctavo | 28º | vigésimo octavo / vigesimoctavo | 100º | centésimo | 700º | septingentésimo |
9º | noveno | 19º | décimo noveno / decimonoveno | 29º | vigésimo noveno / vigesimonoveno | 1.000º | milésimo | 800º | octingentésimo |
10º | décimo | 20º | vigésimo | 30º | trigésimo | 1.000.000º | millonésimo | 900º | noningentésimo |
How to use Spanish ordinal numbers
In Spanish, ordinal numbers agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe.
- Examples:
- el segundo autobústhe second bus
- las segundas oportunidadesthe second opportunities
- Manolo es el primero.Manolo is the first.
- Anita es la tercera.Anita is the third.
Ordinal numbers in the tens and twenties (décimo..., vigésimo...) can be written as one word or two.
- Examples:
- el vigésimo noveno corredor ↔ el vigesimonoveno corredorthe twenty-ninth runner
- when they are written together, the accent is dropped (not:
vigésimonoveno)
Starting from the thirties, ordinal numbers are always written as two words.
- Example:
- el trigésimo segundo corredorthe thirty-second runner
If the ordinal number is made up of two or more separate words, all of them agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe, and they all maintain their accents.
- Example:
la décima primera corredorathe eleventh runner- not:
décimo primera
If the ordinal number is written as one word, only the final word changes its ending and the first word loses its accent.
- Example:
- la decimoprimera corredorathe eleventh (female) runner
- not:
décimaprimera
Exceptions with the ordinal numbers primero and tercero
We remove the ending -o from the ordinal numbers primero and tercero when they come before a masculine noun.
- Examples:
- Es mi primer coche.It’s my first car.
- Es mi tercer intento.It’s my third try.
- Es mi primera actuación.It’s my first performance.
How to write ordinal numbers in Spanish
Like in English, Spanish ordinal numbers are abbreviated by placing letters next to the numeral. These are known as letras voladas (superscript letters). When the numeral comes before a masculine noun, we use the superscript letters o and er, whereas the superscript letter a appears before feminine nouns.
- Examples:
- el 3er corredor (el tercer corredor)the 3rd/third runner
- el 29º corredor (el vigésimo noveno corredor)the 29th/twenty-ninth runner
- la 31a corredora (la trigésima primera corredora)the 31st/thirty-first runner
Roman numerals
Spanish also uses Roman numerals for royal and noble titles that are read aloud as ordinal numbers up to the number ten. After this, we read them as cardinal numbers.
- Examples:
- Juan Carlos I – Juan Carlos primero
- Isabel II – Isabel segunda
- Alfonso X – Alfonso décimo
- but: Alfonso XII – Alfonso doce
Editions of events can also be written with Roman numerals as well as abbreviated ordinal numbers.
- Example:
- XVI edición del Festival de San Sebastián
- or: 26a edición del Festival de San Sebastiánthe 26th/XVI/Twenty-sixth Edition of the Festival of San Sebastián