How to Use Ordinal Numbers in Latvian for English Speakers

Understanding Ordinal Numbers in Latvian

Ordinal numbers indicate the position or order of things in a sequence, such as first, second, or third. In Latvian, ordinal numbers are used similarly to English but have unique forms and grammatical rules that learners should understand.

Basic Formation of Ordinal Numbers

In Latvian, ordinal numbers are typically formed by adding specific endings to the cardinal numbers. These endings change depending on gender, number, and case, which is important to remember when using them in sentences.

For example, the cardinal number viens (one) becomes pirmais (first) in masculine singular nominative form.

Common Ordinal Numbers in Latvian

• pirmais – first (masculine)
• pirmā – first (feminine)
• otrais – second (masculine)
• otrá – second (feminine)
• trešais – third (masculine)
• trešā – third (feminine)
• ceturtais – fourth (masculine)
• ceturta – fourth (feminine)
• piektais – fifth (masculine)
• piekta – fifth (feminine)

Gender and Case Agreement

Ordinal numbers in Latvian 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 or feminine, singular or plural, and the grammatical case used.

For example, pirmais vīrietis means "the first man" (masculine singular nominative), while pirmā sieviete means "the first woman" (feminine singular nominative).

Using Ordinal Numbers in Sentences

Ordinal numbers are often used before nouns to indicate order, such as dates, floors in a building, or ranking.

Ordinal Numbers in Dates

When expressing dates, Latvian uses ordinal numbers with the month name. For example, pirmais janvāris means "the first of January."

Note that in spoken Latvian, the ordinal number is often used with the definite article implied, and the month name is in the nominative case.

Practice Tips for English Speakers Learning Latvian Ordinal Numbers

1. Memorize the common ordinal numbers and their gender forms.
2. Practice matching ordinal numbers with nouns in different cases.
3. Use ordinal numbers in everyday contexts like dates and rankings.
4. Listen to native speakers to get familiar with pronunciation and usage.
5. Practice writing sentences using ordinal numbers to reinforce grammar rules.