Spanish Ordinal Numbers for Floors, Order, and Events
Spanish Ordinal Numbers for Floors, Order, and Events
Ordinal numbers show position in an ordered sequence: first, second, third, and so on. In this lesson, you will use the common Spanish ordinals from first through tenth and match them to the noun they describe.
Ordinals from first to tenth
| Masculine singular | Feminine singular | English |
|---|---|---|
| first | ||
| second | ||
| third | ||
| fourth | ||
| fifth | ||
| sixth | ||
| seventh | ||
| eighth | ||
| ninth | ||
| tenth |
Match the ordinal to the noun
- — the second floor
- — the fourth day
- — the fifth activity
- — the sixth chapter
- — the first people
Ordinal adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number.
Primero becomes primer before a masculine singular noun
- — the first day
- — the first floor
- — the first event
Use when it stands alone or does not immediately precede a masculine singular noun.
— This is the first one.
Tercero becomes tercer before a masculine singular noun
- — the third day
- — the third floor
- — the third exercise
Use when it stands alone.
— Carlos arrived third.
Floor examples
- — The office is on the first floor.
- — My room is on the third floor.
- — The meeting is on the fifth floor.
Order in a sequence
- — Ana arrived first.
- — Carlos arrived second.
- — Marta arrived third.
When the ordinal describes a person directly, match the form to that person's grammatical gender in the sentence.
Order of events
- — The first activity starts at nine.
- — The second event is in the afternoon.
- — The tenth activity ends at six.
Order is different from quantity
Compare:
- — There are three floors. Quantity.
- — The office is on the third floor. Order.
- — I have two meetings. Quantity.
- — The second meeting is at four. Order.
Do not assume floor numbering is universal
Buildings and countries may label floors differently. — ground floor may be followed by — first floor in one system, while another building may label levels differently.
- — ground floor
- — first floor
- — second floor
Read the building's own signs rather than assuming that a floor number maps to the same physical level everywhere.
Ask for the floor
Person A: — What floor is the office on?
Person B: — It is on the third floor.
Ask about order
Person A: — What is the first activity?
Person B: — The first activity is the presentation.
A practical ordinal method
- Decide whether you are expressing quantity or order.
- Choose the ordinal from through .
- Match the ordinal to the noun's gender and number.
- Use primer and tercer before a masculine singular noun.
- Use the full form when the ordinal stands alone.
- Check local floor labels instead of assuming one universal numbering system.
From Ordinals to Indefinites and Negative Concord
You can now identify and state common positions from first through tenth. The next lesson teaches algo, nada, alguien, nadie, and Spanish negative concord.