Learn the ordinal numbers in Italian! The first ten ordinal numbers in Italian has to be learned by heart, then they follow a simple rule. But the words are often difficult to pronounce!
Ordinal numbers
The ordinal numbers from 1st to 10th has to be learn by heart.
1° | primo |
2° | secondo |
3° | terzo |
4° | quarto |
5° | quinto |
6° | sesto |
7° | settimo |
8° | ottavo |
9° | nono |
10° | decimo |
From 11th the ending -esimo is added to the basic number. The last vowel is dropped:
undici > undic_ -esimo > undicesimo
The last vowel, however, remains for numbers ending in -tré and in -sei:
ventitré > ventitre -esimo > ventitreesimo
ventisei > ventisei -esimo > ventiseiesimo
11° | undicesimo |
12° | dodicesimo |
13° | tredicesimo |
14° | quattordicesimo |
15° | quindicesimo |
16° | sedicesimo |
17° | diciassettesimo |
18° | diciottesimo |
19° | diciannovesimo |
20° | ventesimo |
23° | ventitreesimo |
26° | ventiseiesimo |
30° | trentesimo |
87° | ottantasettesimo |
99° | novantanovesimo |
100° | centesimo |
Ordinal numbers are adjectives, so their number and gender are determined by their reference word.
il quinto piano the fifth floor
la quinta settimana the fifth week
If the ordinal number is given as a digit there is a raised o, as you have seen in the table. In fact, the last letter of the numeral should be raised, if possible:
il 5° piano
la 5ª settimana