How to convert ordinal numerals to words in (US) American English, how to write them out using letters instead of numerals
How to write out ordinal numbers (those denoting order) in words?
Most ordinal numbers end in "th", so just add "th" to the end of the cardinal number (those denoting quantity, ex: 1 one, 2 two, 3 three, 4 four, ... etc.):
- cardinal: 4 = four → ordinal: 4th = fourth
- cardinal: 7 = seven → ordinal: 7th = seventh
- cardinal: 10 = ten → ordinal: 10th = tenth
- cardinal: 19 = nineteen → ordinal: 19th = nineteenth
- cardinal: 100 = one hundred → ordinal: 100th = (one) hundredth
- cardinal: 1,000 = one thousand → ordinal: 1,000th = (one) thousandth
Exceptions:
- cardinal: 1 = one → ordinal: first = 1st
- cardinal: 2 = two → ordinal: second = 2nd
- cardinal: 3 = three → ordinal: third = 3rd
- cardinal: 5 = five → ordinal: fifth = 5th
- cardinal: 8 = eight → ordinal: eighth = 8th
- cardinal: 9 = nine → ordinal: ninth = 9th
- cardinal: 12 = twelve → ordinal: twelfth = 12th
- cardinal: 20 = twenty → ordinal: twentieth = 20th
- cardinal: 30 = thirty → ordinal: thirtieth = 30th
- cardinal: 40 = forty → ordinal: fortieth = 40th
- cardinal: 50 = fifty → ordinal: fiftieth = 50th
- cardinal: 60 = sixty → ordinal: sixtieth = 60th
- cardinal: 70 = seventy → ordinal: seventieth = 70th
- cardinal: 80 = eighty → ordinal: eightieth = 80th
- cardinal: 90 = ninety → ordinal: ninetieth = 90th
Here there are a couple of the main ordinal numbers, from 1st up to 19th, you can find a longer list in the full article:
- cardinal: 1 = one; → ordinal: 1st = first;
- cardinal: 2 = two; → ordinal: 2nd, second;
- cardinal: 3 = three; → ordinal: 3rd, third;
- cardinal: 4 = four; → ordinal: 4th, fourth;
- cardinal: 5 = five; → ordinal: 5th, fifth;
- cardinal: 6 = six; → ordinal: 6th, sixth;
- cardinal: 7 = seven; → ordinal: 7th, seventh;
- cardinal: 8 = eight; → ordinal: 8th, eighth;
- cardinal: 9 = nine; → ordinal: 9th, ninth;
- cardinal: 10 = ten; → ordinal: 10th, tenth;
- cardinal: 11 = eleven; → ordinal: 11th, eleventh;
- cardinal: 12 = twelve; → ordinal: 12th, twelfth;
- cardinal: 13 = thirteen; → ordinal: thirteenth;
- cardinal: 14 = fourteen; → ordinal: 14th, fourteenth;
- cardinal: 15 = fifteen; → ordinal: 15th, fifteenth;
- cardinal: 16 = sixteen; → ordinal: 16th, sixteenth;
- cardinal: 17 = seventeen; → ordinal: 17th, seventeenth;
- cardinal: 18 = eighteen; → ordinal: 18th, eighteenth;
- cardinal: 19 = nineteen; → ordinal: 19th, nineteenth;