cyntaf / ail / trydydd

Ordinal Numbers

Level 3

First follows the noun: y tro cyntaf (the first time). Second, third and the rest go before it: yr ail ddyn, y trydydd dyn.

How It Works

The ordinals 1st to 10th.

  • 1st cyntaf (after the noun)
  • 2nd ail
  • 3rd trydydd, feminine trydedd
  • 4th pedwerydd, feminine pedwaredd
  • 5th pumed
  • 6th chweched
  • 7th seithfed
  • 8th wythfed
  • 9th nawfed
  • 10th degfed

Cyntaf follows the noun, like most adjectives: y tro cyntaf (the first time), y dyn cyntaf. After a feminine noun it softens: y wers gyntaf (the first lesson).

Ail goes before the noun and softens every noun, masculine or feminine: yr ail ddyn, yr ail ferch, yr ail lawr (the second floor).

Third and above go before the noun.

  • With a masculine noun nothing changes: y trydydd dyn, y pumed tŷ.
  • With a feminine noun, use the feminine form where there is one, soften the ordinal after y, and soften the noun: y drydedd ferch, y bedwaredd wers, y bumed flwyddyn.

Short forms in writing: 1af, 2il, 3ydd (3edd), 4ydd (4edd), 5ed, 6ed, 7fed, 8fed, 9fed, 10fed.

Higher ordinals are built on the traditional numbers: yr unfed ar ddeg (11th), yr ugeinfed ganrif (the 20th century), yr unfed ganrif ar hugain (the 21st century). Inside these longer numbers, first is unfed, not cyntaf. Ordinals are also used for dates.

Examples (6)

  1. Dyma'r tro cyntaf i fi ddod i Gymru.

    This is the first time I've come to Wales.

    Cyntaf follows the noun tro. I fi is Southern; the North says i mi: Dyma'r tro cyntaf i mi ddod i Gymru.

  2. Mae'r swyddfa ar yr ail lawr.

    The office is on the second floor.

    Ail softens every noun, even one with ll: llawr becomes lawr.

  3. Mae fy chwaer i yn yr ail flwyddyn.

    My sister is in the second year.

    Ail softens blwyddyn to flwyddyn.

  4. Dyma'r drydedd wers.

    This is the third lesson.

    Gwers is feminine: trydydd becomes trydedd, softens to drydedd after y, and gwers softens to wers.

  5. Mae e'n byw yn y pumed tŷ ar y chwith.

    He lives in the fifth house on the left.

    Tŷ is masculine, so nothing changes. South: e. In the North: Mae o'n byw yn y pumed tŷ ar y chwith.

  6. Enillodd hi'r wobr gyntaf.

    She won first prize.

    Gwobr is feminine: it softens after 'r, and cyntaf softens to gyntaf after it.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting cyntaf before the noun.

    y cyntaf tro
    y tro cyntaf

    Cyntaf goes after the noun, unlike the other ordinals.

  • Forgetting the soft mutation after ail.

    yr ail dyn
    yr ail ddyn

    Ail softens the noun after it, whatever its gender.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

cyntaf / ail / trydyddLevel 3Ordinal Numbers

Learn This First

Ordinals have gendered forms and their own position.

Words in This Pattern

cyntafailtrydyddpedweryddpumedchwechedseithfedwythfednawfeddegfed