اول، دوم، سوم
Ordinal Numbers
First is اول, and third is سوم.
How It Works
| Number | After a noun | Before a noun |
|---|---|---|
| یک | اول | اولین |
| دو | دوم | دومین |
| سه | سوم | سومین |
| چهار | چهارم | چهارمین |
| پنج | پنجم | پنجمین |
| شش | ششم | ششمین |
The ordinal goes after its noun, joined by the link, which is not written after a consonant: روز دوم (the second day), صنف نهم (grade nine), but کوچهٔ سوم. With ـمین it goes before the noun: اولین روز. Both are correct. First has its own word, اول, and third has its own spelling, سوم.
A large number takes ـم at its end: بیست و پنجم (the 25th). In a date, the first day is اول: اول حمل. Other days use the plain number: بیست و پنج ثور. Floors and school grades use the ordinal after the noun too: منزل سوم (the third floor).
Examples (5)
- امروز اولین روز مکتب است.
Today is the first day of school.
اولین stands before the noun روز.
- من در صنف نهم درس می‌خوانم.
I study in grade nine.
نهم is نه + ـم, after the noun صنف.
- خانهٔ ما در کوچهٔ سوم است.
Our house is on the third street.
سوم is the ordinal of سه, and it follows کوچه.
- او نفر پنجم در صف بود.
She was fifth in the line.
نفر پنجم means the fifth person.
- برادر کلانم در منزل چهارم زندگی می‌کند.
My older brother lives on the fourth floor.
چهارم is چهار + ـم, and it follows منزل.
Common Mistakes
Adding ـم to سه without changing it.
خانهٔ ما در کوچهٔ سه‌م است.خانهٔ ما در کوچهٔ سوم است.Third has its own spelling, سوم.
Putting ـمین after the noun.
امروز روز اولین مکتب است.امروز اولین روز مکتب است.ـمین stands before the noun. After the noun, use ـم: روز دوم.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The ordinal numbers are built from the numbers.
Related Patterns
- Numbers One to Ten
The ordinals are built from these numbers.
Level 1 - Nouns After Numbers
A noun after a counting number stays singular. A noun with an ordinal can be plural: روزهای اول (the first days).
Level 2 - The Afghan Solar Months
In a date, the day comes before the month, as in اول حمل.
Level 3 - Days of the Week
Ordinals and the days of the week both place events in a row.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice اول، دوم، سوم in Bubblegum
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