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
Full article: how to write out ordinal numbers in words in (US) American English, using letters instead of numerals
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;