How to Use Ordinal Numbers in Croatian for English Speakers

Understanding Ordinal Numbers in Croatian

Ordinal numbers indicate the position or order of things in a sequence, such as first, second, third, and so on. In Croatian, ordinal numbers are used similarly to English but have unique forms and agreements with nouns.

Basic Ordinal Numbers in Croatian

Here are the first ten ordinal numbers in Croatian with their English equivalents:

Gender and Case Agreement

Croatian ordinal numbers must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. This means the ending of the ordinal number changes depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, or neuter, and depending on the grammatical case.

For example, the masculine form of "first" is prvi, feminine is prva, and neuter is prvo.

Using Ordinal Numbers in Sentences

Ordinal numbers are often used with dates, floors in buildings, and ranking positions. They usually come before the noun they describe.

Example sentences:

Forming Ordinal Numbers Beyond Ten

Ordinal numbers beyond ten are generally formed by adding the suffix -i or -ti to the cardinal number, with some spelling adjustments. For example, jedanaesti means eleventh, dvanaesti means twelfth.

It is important to learn these forms as they are commonly used in dates and rankings.

Tips for English Speakers Learning Croatian Ordinal Numbers

• Pay attention to gender agreement when using ordinal numbers.
• Practice common ordinal numbers used in dates and everyday conversation.
• Listen to native speakers to get familiar with pronunciation and intonation.