Ordinal Numbers: First to Third
Ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) describe the position of something in a series. Like adjectives, they stand alongside nouns and describe them. In this lesson, we will focus on using their basic dictionary form (the nominative case).
To practice, we will use them to track people waiting in a line or queue.
| queue | jono |
The Finnish words for "first", "second", and "third" are:
- ensimmäinen (first)
- toinen (second)
- kolmas (third)
| He is the first customer. | Hän on ensimmäinen asiakas. |
| Who is second? | Kuka on toinen? |
| I must wait, because I am third. | Minun täytyy odottaa, koska olen kolmas. |
Ordinal Numbers: Fourth to Tenth
From four onwards, the ordinal number is formed by adding -s to the stem of the number.
| Number | Ordinal (Nominative) |
|---|---|
| 4 | neljäs |
| 5 | viides |
| 6 | kuudes |
| 7 | seitsemäs |
| 8 | kahdeksas |
| 9 | yhdeksäs |
| 10 | kymmenes |
Here are some of these ordinals in action:
| The next customer is fourth. | Seuraava asiakas on neljäs. |
| The tired woman is sixth. | Väsynyt nainen on kuudes. |
| He is already the tenth customer today. | Hän on jo kymmenes asiakas tänään. |
You can use these together to figure out exactly where everyone is in the room!
| Is this child sixth or eighth? | Onko tämä lapsi kuudes vai kahdeksas? |
| This customer is seventh, and that student is ninth. | Tämä asiakas on seitsemäs, ja tuo opiskelija on yhdeksäs. |
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