Inicio > Recursos Inglés > ORDINAL NUMBERS

ORDINAL NUMBERS

10 / 12 / 2003

ORDINAL NUMBERS: meaning and examples

Hello everyone.

Numbers are one of the most difficult things about learning a foreign language. Even very advanced students of English often have trouble with numbers like 1,568 (one thousand five hundred and sixty-eight) or 113,486 (one hundred and thirteen thousand four hundred and eighty-six). However, if you know the normal cardinal numbers, the ordinal numbers are easy.

First (1st)
Second (2nd)
Third (3rd)
Fourth (4th)
Fifth (5th)
Sixth (6th)
Seventh (7th)
Eighth (8th)
Ninth (9th)
Tenth (10th)
Eleventh (11th)
Twelfth (12th)
Thirteenth (13th)
Etc.

After 'third' (3rd) we just need to add 'th' to the cardinal number (sometimes with spelling changes), except when it is the 'first', 'second' or 'third' of a larger number:

31st (thirty-first)
42nd (forty-second)
103rd (one hundred and third)

BUT
34th (thirty-fourth)
55th (fifty-fifth)
1,568th (one thousand five hundred and sixty-eighth)
113,486th (one hundred and thirteen thousand four hundred and eighty-sixth).


I hope that's clear.

Enjoy the rest of your day!