Ordinal Numbers

Level 2

Ordinal numbers show the order of things. While most end in -s (like kolmas), the first two are irregular (ensimmäinen, toinen). They behave like adjectives, meaning their endings change to match the noun they describe.

How It Works

Ordinal numbers (järjestysluvut) are essential for dates, floors of a building, and rankings. The question words for ordinals are Monesko? or Kuinka mones? (Which in order?).

1. The Irregular First Two

  • 1st: ensimmäinen (stem: ensimmäise-)
  • 2nd: toinen (stem: toise-)

These follow the standard -nen declension. In casual speech, these are often eka and toka.

2. Regular Ordinals (3rd–10th)
From 3 onwards, ordinals end in -s in the basic form: kolmas, neljäs, viides, kuudes, seitsemäs, kahdeksas, yhdeksäs, kymmenes.

3. Stem Changes in Cases
When adding case endings, the -s changes to a specific stem:

  • Partitive: The consonant stem ends in -t, and the ending is -ta/-tä: kolmat- + -ta → kolmatta.
  • Weak grade (-nne-): Used for most cases like inessive. Example: kolmannessa.
  • Strong grade (-nte-): Used for the illative and essive cases. Examples: kolmanteen, kolmantena.
  • Plural stem (-nsi-): Used for plural cases (other than nominative). Example: kolmansissa (in the third ones).

Ordinals can also take plural endings, such as ensimmäiset (the first ones) or kolmannet (the third ones).

4. Teens and Compounds

  • 11th–19th: Formed by [Inflected Ordinal] + toista. Note that -toista never declines! For 11th and 12th, the stems yhdes- and kahdes- are used instead of the full words. Basic forms: yhdestoista (11th), kahdestoista (12th). Their genitives are yhdennentoista and kahdennentoista.
  • 21st, etc.: In compound numbers, every part of the number takes the ordinal form and declines. For example, 21st is kahdeskymmenesensimmäinen (twenty-first) or the equally valid standard variant kahdeskymmenesyhdes. In spoken Finnish, massive compound ordinals are often abbreviated (e.g., 21st is usually spoken as 'kakskyteka' or 'kaheskyteka').

5. Punctuation and Dates
In writing, a period after a number indicates it is an ordinal: 3 = three, but 3. = third. This is vital for dates. For example, 6.12. is read as kuudes joulukuuta (the sixth of December) or with the genitive month: joulukuun kuudes. When an ordinal is in a case, the period remains: 3. kerroksessa (on the 3rd floor). When an ordinal is written as a digit without a following noun or at the end of a sentence, Finnish uses a colon and the case ending (e.g., Hän oli kilpailussa 11:s or Asun 3:nnessa).

Agreement: Ordinals normally agree with their noun in both case and number: kolmas kerros, kolmannessa kerroksessa, kolmannet kerrokset, kolmansissa kerroksissa.
Fractions: An ordinal can modify osa (part): kolmas osa, often the compound kolmasosa (one third). Common fraction nouns include puoli (a half), kolmannes (a third), and neljännes (a quarter): kaksi kolmasosaa means two thirds. Fraction nouns have their own inflection; do not treat kolmas and kolmannes as interchangeable ordinal forms.

Examples (6)

  1. Asun kolmannessa kerroksessa.

    I live on the third floor.

    Word by Word: I-live third-in floor-in.

    The ordinal 'kolmas' changes to 'kolmannessa' to agree with the inessive case of 'kerroksessa'.

  2. Odotin häntä kolmatta tuntia.

    I waited for him into the third hour (for over two hours).

    Word by Word: I-waited him third-partitive hour-partitive.

    The partitive form of 'kolmas' is 'kolmatta'. This construction is used to express duration.

  3. Tämä on yhdestoista kerta.

    This is the eleventh time.

    Word by Word: This is eleventh time.

    For numbers 11-19, you add '-toista' to the ordinal form of the first number (yksi -> yhdes + toista).

  4. Hän tuli kilpailussa toiseksi.

    He came in second in the competition.

    Word by Word: He came competition-in second-into.

    The translative case (-ksi) is used here to indicate the result or rank achieved.

  5. Eka kerta oli paras.

    The first time was the best.

    Word by Word: First time was best.

    Eka and toka are common colloquial alternatives to ensimmäinen and toinen; the full forms also occur in speech.

  6. Olen viidennellä luokalla.

    I am in the fifth grade.

    Word by Word: I-am fifth-on grade-on.

    The ordinal 'viides' changes to the stem 'viidenne-' before adding the adessive ending '-llä'.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the period in written dates.

    6 joulukuuta
    6. joulukuuta

    In an ordinary written date, include the ordinal period: 6. joulukuuta. Without it, the numeral fails to mark the intended ordinal date; it is not automatically a sensible quantity expression.

  • Failing to decline the ordinal to match the noun.

    Asun kolmas kerroksessa.
    Asun kolmannessa kerroksessa.

    Ordinal numbers are like adjectives; they must take the same case ending as the noun they modify.

  • Using the nominative stem for inflected cases.

    viidesen
    viidennen

    The -s at the end of ordinals like 'viides' must change to -nne- (or -nte-) before adding case endings.

How It Connects

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Ordinal NumbersLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand ordinal numbers, you first need to know the basic cardinal numbers (1-10) as they form the base of the words. Since ordinals are often used in different cases (like 'on the third floor'), you need to understand the Finnish case system and how consonant gradation affects the word stems when endings are added.

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Words in This Pattern

-s