How to Use Ordinal Numbers in Ukrainian: A Guide for English Speakers

What Are Ordinal Numbers in Ukrainian?

Ordinal numbers indicate the position or order of things in a sequence, such as first, second, third, etc. In Ukrainian, ordinal numbers are used similarly to English but have unique forms and endings that agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe.

Forming Ordinal Numbers in Ukrainian

Most Ukrainian ordinal numbers are formed from cardinal numbers by adding specific suffixes. They must agree in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular/plural), and case with the noun they modify.

Basic Ordinal Numbers (1st to 10th)

Here are the masculine nominative singular forms of the first ten ordinal numbers in Ukrainian:

• перший (pershyy) – first
• другий (druhyy) – second
• третій (tretiy) – third
• четвертий (chetvertyy) – fourth
• п'ятий (p'yatyy) – fifth
• шостий (shostyy) – sixth
• сьомий (s'yomyy) – seventh
• восьмий (vos'myy) – eighth
• дев'ятий (dev'yatyy) – ninth
• десятий (desyatyy) – tenth

Gender Variations

Ordinal numbers change their endings to match the gender of the noun they describe. For example, the word for "first" changes as follows:

• перший (pershyy) – masculine
• перша (persha) – feminine
• перше (pershe) – neuter

This pattern applies to most ordinal numbers.

Using Ordinal Numbers in Sentences

Ordinal numbers are usually placed before the noun they modify and agree with it in gender, number, and case. For example:

• Перший день (pershyy denʹ) – first day (masculine)
• Друга книга (druha knyha) – second book (feminine)
• Третє завдання (tretie zavdannya) – third task (neuter)

Declension of Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers decline according to the case of the noun they modify. For example, the masculine singular ordinal number "перший" (first) changes as follows in the singular:

• Nominative: перший
• Genitive: першого
• Dative: першому
• Accusative: першого (animate) / перший (inanimate)
• Instrumental: першим
• Locative: першому
• Vocative: першому

Learning the declension patterns is important for proper usage in different contexts.

Common Uses of Ordinal Numbers in Ukrainian

Ordinal numbers are used in many everyday situations, such as:

• Dates: п'яте травня (the fifth of May)
• Floor numbers: третій поверх (third floor)
• Ranking: він зайняв друге місце (he took second place)
• Chapters or sections: перша глава (first chapter)

Tips for English Speakers Learning Ukrainian Ordinal Numbers

Here are some helpful tips:

• Remember to match the ordinal number's ending with the gender and case of the noun.
• Practice the declension of ordinal numbers in different cases.
• Listen to native speakers to get familiar with pronunciation and usage.
• Use flashcards to memorize the most common ordinal numbers and their forms.