How to Use Ordinal Numbers in Bulgarian for English Speakers

What Are Ordinal Numbers in Bulgarian?

Ordinal numbers in Bulgarian indicate the position or order of things in a sequence, such as first, second, third, and so on. They are essential for expressing dates, floors in buildings, rankings, and more.

Forming Ordinal Numbers in Bulgarian

Bulgarian ordinal numbers are formed by adding specific endings to the cardinal numbers. The endings change depending on the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular or plural) of the noun they describe.

Masculine, Feminine, and Neuter Forms

Here are the typical endings for ordinal numbers in Bulgarian:

• Masculine: -и (e.g., първи - first)
• Feminine: -а (e.g., първа - first)
• Neuter: -о (e.g., първо - first)

For example, the word for "first" changes as follows:

• Първи (pŭrvi) - masculine
• Първа (pŭrva) - feminine
• Първо (pŭrvo) - neuter

Common Bulgarian Ordinal Numbers

Here are some common ordinal numbers in Bulgarian with their English equivalents:

Using Ordinal Numbers in Sentences

Ordinal numbers in Bulgarian usually come before the noun they modify and agree with it in gender and number. For example:

• Той живее на третия етаж. (He lives on the third floor.)
• Това е втората книга. (This is the second book.)
• Първото място е за теб. (The first place is for you.)

Special Notes on Pronunciation and Spelling

Bulgarian ordinal numbers have stress patterns that may differ from cardinal numbers. For example, първи is stressed on the first syllable. Pay attention to these nuances to improve your pronunciation.

Practice Exercises

Try to translate these ordinal numbers into Bulgarian, matching the gender of the noun:

1. The first day (masculine)
2. The second week (feminine)
3. The third year (neuter)

Answers:

• Първият ден
• Втората седмица
• Третата година