Ordinal numbers describe the position or order of something in a sequence. In English, these include words like “first,” “second,” and “third.” Spanish uses similar words called ordinal numbers to describe order. These words often appear before nouns and must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. In this module, you will learn the most common ordinal numbers and how they are used in Spanish sentences.
Spanish ordinal numbers describe position in a list or sequence. The first five are used very frequently.
Primero – first
Segundo – second
Tercero – third
Cuarto – fourth
Quinto – fifth
Sample Sentences
El primer día es emocionante – The first day is exciting
El segundo capítulo explica la historia – The second chapter explains the story
La tercera calle está cerrada – The third street is closed
El cuarto piso tiene oficinas – The fourth floor has offices
El quinto estudiante responde la pregunta – The fifth student answers the question
Spanish also uses ordinal numbers to describe positions beyond five.
Sexto – sixth
Séptimo – seventh
Octavo – eighth
Noveno – ninth
Décimo – tenth
Sample Sentences
El sexto corredor termina la carrera – The sixth runner finishes the race
El séptimo invitado llega temprano – The seventh guest arrives early
La octava página contiene el mapa – The eighth page contains the map
El noveno capítulo explica la teoría – The ninth chapter explains the theory
El décimo participante gana el premio – The tenth participant wins the prize
Ordinal numbers must agree with the noun they describe. Masculine nouns use masculine forms, and feminine nouns use feminine forms.
Sample Sentences
El primer restaurante abre temprano – The first restaurant opens early
La primera clase comienza a las ocho – The first class begins at eight
El tercer edificio está en la esquina – The third building is on the corner
La segunda puerta está cerrada – The second door is closed
La quinta estación aparece en el mapa – The fifth station appears on the map
When primero and tercero appear before masculine singular nouns, they often shorten to primer and tercer.
Sample Sentences
El primer día del viaje es tranquilo – The first day of the trip is calm
El tercer capítulo explica la historia – The third chapter explains the story
El primer cliente llega temprano – The first client arrives early
El tercer edificio domina la avenida – The third building dominates the avenue
El primer autobús sale a las seis – The first bus leaves at six
Ordinal numbers are commonly used when describing floors in buildings, steps in a process, or positions in a list.
Sample Sentences
El primer paso es importante – The first step is important
El segundo nivel tiene oficinas – The second level has offices
El tercer equipo gana el premio – The third team wins the prize
La cuarta estación aparece en el mapa – The fourth station appears on the map
El quinto capítulo termina la historia – The fifth chapter ends the story
In this module, you learned how Spanish ordinal numbers describe the position of something in a sequence. You practiced numbers such as primero, segundo, tercero, cuarto, and quinto, along with additional forms like séptimo and décimo. You also learned that ordinal numbers must agree with the noun in gender and number and that some forms like primer and tercer shorten before masculine nouns. Understanding ordinal numbers will help you describe order, steps, and positions in Spanish conversations.