The Russian equivalent of the mathematical ordinal number “nth” is is энный[Ennyi]. In Russian, this is not typically abbreviated.
In Russian, ordinal numbers like , are used in the same cases where you might use their English equivalents, “first,” “second,” or “third,” — to order things or ideas. However, unlike in English, where each ordinal number has only one form, in Russian these words agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Compare:
первый момент
pYErvyi myomENT
the first moment
→ masculine singular
первая книга
pYErvaya kniga
the first book
→ feminine singular
первые моменты
pYERvyye myomENTy
the first moments
→ plural
In this post, we’ll take you through the basic forms of Russian ordinal numbers, we’ll discuss how to create larger compound ordinal numbers, and we’ll discuss when to use ordinal numbers in Russian sentences. It’s a little different from English! Let’s have a look!
What are the basic forms of Russian ordinal numbers?
Below is a list of the basic Russian ordinal numbers, from 1-10. Alongside each one you will see the equivalent Russian cardinal number (also known as “counting numbers”). Notice that although the first two ordinal numbers (первый, второй) are very different from the cardinal numbers (один, два), the other ones, at least, share the same root.
# | Cardinal Number | Ordinal Number |
|---|---|---|
1 | один odEEn one | первый pYervYi first |
2 | два dva two | второй ftarOi second |
3 | три tree three | третий trYEtii third |
4 | четыре chyetYrye four | четвёртый chyetvYOrtyi fourth |
5 | пять pyat five | пятый pYAtyi fifth |
6 | шесть shyest six | шестой shyesOi sixth |
7 | семь syem seven | седьмой syedmOi seventh |
8 | восемь vOsyem eight | восьмой vasmOi eighth |
9 | девять dYEvyat nine | девятый deevYAtyi ninth |
10 | дестять dYEsyat ten | десятый deesYAtyi tenth |
However, just like other kinds of adjectives in Russian, ordinal numbers with nouns in , , and .
The table below illustrates all the forms of первый[pYervYi](first). Most ordinal numbers will follow this same ending pattern.
Forms of первый (first) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Case | Feminine | Masculine | Neuter | Plural |
Nominative | первая pYErvaya | первый pYErvyi | первое pYErvaye | первые pYERvyye |
Genitive | первой pYErvay | первого pYErvava | первого pYErvava | первых pYErvYkh |
Dative | первой pYErvay | первому pYErvamoo | первому pYErvamoo | первым pYErvym |
Accusative (inanimate) | первую pYErvooyu | первый pYErvyi | первое pYErvaye | первые pYERvyye |
Accusative (animate) | первую pYErvooyu | первого pYErvava | первого pYErvava | первых pYErvykh |
Instrumental | первой pYErvay | первым pYErvym | первым pYErvym | первыми pYErvYmee |
Prepositional | первой pYErvay | первом pYErvam | первом pYErvam | первых pYErvYkh |
For example:
masculine singular (instrumental)
Ельцин был первым президентом России.
YEltseen byl pYErvym preezeedYEntam rasEEee
Yeltsin was the first president of Russia.
→ The word президент[preezeedYEnt](president) is masculine singular, and here it is in the instrumental case because it follows был[byl](was). Therefore the ordinal number первым is also in the masculine singular instrumental form.
As we stated above, most other ordinal numbers will follow the same ending pattern as первый[pYervYi](first). In the example below you can see that the ordinal number второй[ftarOi](second) has the same ending in the genitive singular feminine as первой[pYErvay](first).
feminine singular (genitive)
После Второй мировой войны началась Холодная война между СССР и США.
pOslye FtarOi meeravOi vaynY nachalAs khalOdnaya vaynA mYEzhdoo EsEsEsEr ee sEshEA
After the Second World War, the Cold War between the USSR and US began.
→ The noun война[vaynA](war) is feminine singular, and here it is genitive because it follows the preposition после(after). Therefore the ordinal number второй is also feminine singular genitive.
The only ordinal number that follows a different pattern is третий[trYEtii](third). Its endings are illustrated in this second chart.
Forms of третий(third) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Case | Feminine | Masculine | Neuter | Plural |
Nominative | третья trYEtya | третий trYEtiy | третье trYEtye | третьи trYEtee |
Genitive | третьей trYEtyey | третьего trYEtyeva | третьего trYEtyeva | третьих trYEteekh |
Dative | третьей trYEtyey | третьему trYEtyemoo | третьему trYEtyemoo | третьим trYEtyeem |
Accusative (inanimate) | третью trYEtyu | третий trYEtiy | третье trYEtye | третьи trYEtee |
Accusative (animate) | третью trYEtyu | третьего trYEtyeva | третьего trYEtyeva | третьих trYEteekh |
Instrumental | третьей trYEtyey | третьим trYEtyeem | третьим trYEtyeem | третьими trYEteemee |
Prepositional | третьей trYEtyey | третьем trYEtyem | третьем trYEtyem | третьих ptrYEteekh |
And here is an example:
masculine singular (dative)
Они смотрят этот фильм по третьему разу.
anEE smOtryat Etot feelm pa trYEtyemoo rAzoo
They are watching the movie for the third time.
→ The preposition по[pa](for) in Russian triggers dative case, and the word раз[raz](time) is masculine singular, hence третьему is dative masculine singular.
How to form larger ordinal numbers in Russian?
To form larger ordinal numbers in Russian, like “21st,” “33rd,” or “414th,” you can just take the cardinal number and replace the final word of the number with its equivalent ordinal number — just like we do in English.
For example:
Cardinal Number | Ordinal Number | ||
|---|---|---|---|
23 | двадцать три dvAtsat tri twenty-three | 23-ий | двадцать третий dvAtsat trYEtiy twenty-third (m.) |
Here are a couple examples of how these larger ordinal numbers are used:
ordinal number
23 июля → двадцать третье июля
dvAtsat trYEtye eeYUlya
July 23 → July twenty third
Пермский политех занял 48-е (четвертый восьмой) место среди отечественных вузов страны.
pYErmskiy paleetYEkh zAnyal sOrak vasmOye mYEsta sryedee atYEchyestvyenykh vOOzaf stranY
Perm Politechnical ranked 48th (forty-eighty) among universities around the country.
1984 год → тысяча девятьсот восемьдесят четвёртый год
tYseecha deeveetsOt vOseemdeesyat cheetvYOrtyi got
1984
lit. (the) one thousand nine hundred and eighty fourth year
→ Notice that we use ordinal numbers to express the year in Russian. More on this below!
Tip
How to abbreviate ordinal numbers in Russian?
In Russian, you can abbreviate ordinal numbers by using numerals, much like we do with 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in English. Just provide the numeral version of the number in question and add the appropriate ending, according to the number’s case, number, and gender.
1st: 1-ый, в 1-ом, ...
2nd: 2-ой, 2-ого, ...
When to use ordinal numerals in Russian vs. English?
The basic use of ordinal numbers in Russian and English is the same: we use them to put nouns in order. However, there are some specialized cases where you can use an ordinal number in Russian but not in English and vice versa. Let’s compare:
Uses or ordinal numbers in Russian that are the same as English
In both Russian and English we use ordinal numbers:
For someone’s grade/year in school:
в одиннадцатом классе
v adEEnatsatom klAssye
in the eleventh grade
на третьем курсе
na trYEtyem kOOrsye
third year
For the day of the month:
Use the neuter singular nominative form of the ordinal number here.
C 8-м (восьмым) марта
s vasmYm mArta
Happy 8th (eighth) of March
→ March 8th is International Women’s Day: a holiday that is widely celebrated in Russia.Check out our post on how to say dates in Russian to learn more!
For the denominator in a fraction:
As in English, the top number in the fraction (the numerator) is a cardinal number and the bottom part (the denominator) is an ordinal number.
⅖ → две пятых
dvye pYAtykh
two fifths
What case to use?
If the numerator is 1, then the denominator is in the nominative case.
Otherwise, the denominator is in the genitive case.
Tip
In Russian, the fraction ½ can be said literally as “one second”
½ → одна вторая
adnA ftaraYA
one half
lit. one second
When listing bulleted points or arguments:
Во-первых… во-вторых… в-третьих…
First, second, third
va pYErvykh… va ftarYkh… f trYEteekh
Forming some familiar expressions:
в первую очередь
f pYErvooyu Ocheeryet
first of all
третий лишний
trYEtiy lEEshniy
a third wheel
lit. an excessive third
на седьмом небе
na seedmOm nYEbye
in seventh heaven
Uses of ordinal numbers in Russian that are different from English
Here are some cases where we use ordinal numbers in Russian, but not in English.
To name years and decades:
в две тысячи двадцать первом году
v dvye tYsyachee dvAtsat pYErvam gadoo
in twenty twenty-one (2021)
lit. in the two thousand twenty-first year
шестидесятые
sheesteedeesYAtyye
the sixties
lit. sixtieth pl.
In phrases representing times of day:
в первой половине дня
f pYErvay palavEEnye dnya
in the morning
lit. in the first half of the day
во второй половине дня
va ftarOy palavEEnye dnya
in the afternoon
lit. in the second half of the day
двадцать минут второго
dvAtsat meenOOt ftarOva
twenty minutes after one
lit. the twentieth minute after one
Apartment / house numbers, and bus numbers:
в двадцать третьей квартире
v dvAtsat trYEtyey kvartEErye
in apartment number twenty-three
lit. in the twenty-third apartment
сорок первый автобус
sOrak pYErvyi aftOboos
Bus #41
lit. forty-first bus
However cardinal numbers can also be acceptable here, as long as you use the word номер[nOmyer](number):
в квартире номер двадцать три (23)
f kvartEErye nOmyer dvAtsat tree
in apartment number twenty-three
автобус № 41
aftOboos nOmyer sOrak odEEn
bus #41
“Counting off” to put people in groups:
In Russian, we “count off” to put people in teams using ordinal numbers, rather than cardinal numbers. You would say:
На первый, второй рассчитайсь!
na pYErvyi ftarOy rashchitAys
Count off by ones and twos!
lit. In first, second count off!
Then, people would respond with:
первый[pYErvyi](first)
второй[ftarOy](second)
первый[pYErvyi](first)
второй[ftarOy](second)
To sum up
In this post we discussed ordinal numbers in Russian. We saw that:
The basic forms of ordinal numbers are derived from cardinal numbers.
Like adjectives, ordinal numbers change their forms to agree with the noun they describe.
When forming larger ordinal numbers, most of the number is formed using cardinal numbers. Only the last word takes on a special ordinal form (just like English!)
They are used mostly like in English but there are a few cases where they’re used in Russian, but not English:
naming years and decades
describing certain times of day
sometimes house and bus numbers
Now, let’s practice! Click the link below to download the Russian ordinal numbers activities. Happy learning!
