Turkish Grammar › Numbers
Sıra Sayıları (-(I)ncI)
Ordinal Numbers
Level A1Numbers
Learn the endings that tell you a thing's or a person's place in an order.
Ordinal numbers state a thing's place or rank in an order. They are made by adding «-ıncı, -inci, -uncu, -üncü» to a number.
If the number ends in a vowel, the vowel at the start of the ending drops and it becomes «-ncı, -nci, -ncu, -ncü». For example: iki ➔ ikinci, altı ➔ altıncı, yedi ➔ yedinci.
If the number ends in a consonant, one of «-ıncı, -inci, -uncu, -üncü» is used according to vowel harmony. For example: bir ➔ birinci, dört ➔ dördüncü, beş ➔ beşinci. When this ending is added to «dört», the «t» softens to «d» (dördüncü).
Ordinals can be written out in words or in figures. When written in figures, a full stop follows the number. For example: 1. (birinci), 2. (ikinci), 10. (onuncu).
Examples
- Ben yarışmada birinci oldum.I came first in the competition.
- Biz beşinci katta oturuyoruz.We live on the fifth floor.
- Okulun ikinci günü çok heyecanlıydı.The second day of school was very exciting.
- Dokuzuncu soruyu çözemedim.I could not solve the ninth question.
- Ali sınavda dördüncü oldu.Ali came fourth in the exam.