Un 9.6
Ordinal Numbers
Once you know all of the numbers in French, which are called ‘cardinal numbers’, it isn’t a big step to describe the ranking or order of things, using ordinal numbers.
Ordinal Numbers – Les nombres ordinaux
Ordinal numbers are used to refer to a ranking or position according to a sequential order.
|
1er / 1ère |
premier / première |
first |
|
2e |
deuxième |
second |
|
3e |
troisième |
third |
|
4e |
quatrième |
fourth |
|
5e |
cinquième |
fifth |
|
6e |
sixième |
sixth |
|
7e |
septième |
seventh |
|
8e |
huitième |
eighth |
|
9e |
neuvième |
ninth |
|
… |
… |
… |
|
21e |
vingt et unième |
twenty-first |
|
30e |
trentième |
thirtieth |
|
40e |
quarantième |
fortieth |
|
81e |
quatre-vingt-unième |
eighty-first |
Only the first number requires a unique form. Other small changes occur at the end of cardinal numbers ending in ‘f’, ‘q’ and ‘e’, prior to the addition of the ordinal number ending ‘-ième’. Ordinal numbers are placed in front of their corresponding noun and after any needed article.
e.g.
|
Le premier ministre du Canada réagit à la question. |
The Prime Minister of Canada is reacting to the question. |
|
La Première Guerre mondiale a eu lieu de 1914 à 1918. |
WWI took place between 1914 to 1918. |
|
C’est la troisième fois que tu me demandes cela. |
This is the third time you’ve asked me that. |
When referring to cities in a country, ordinal numbers are often used to refer to a city’s ranking in size, without any reference to a word such as ‘big’.
e.g.
|
Montréal est la deuxième ville du Canada ? |
Montreal’s the second biggest city in Canada? |
Note that WWII is typically referred to as ‘la Seconde Guerre mondiale’, so as to imply that its existence is not within a sequential list.
