Ordinal numbers are used to show the position or order of something rather than its quantity. Instead of saying one, two, three, you say first, second, third. Learning ordinal numbers is essential for everyday Arabic because they appear in dates, school grades, building floors, competitions, directions, and conversations.
In this lesson, you will learn the most common Arabic ordinal numbers, their pronunciation, how to use them correctly, and practical examples to help you remember them.
What Are Ordinal Numbers in Arabic?
Ordinal numbers describe the order of people or things.
Examples in English include:
- First
- Second
- Third
- Fourth
In Arabic, ordinal numbers usually behave like adjectives. They agree with the noun in gender, number, definiteness, and case. For beginners, it is enough to learn the masculine and feminine forms and practice them with common nouns.
For example:
- The first lesson
- The second student
- The third day
Arabic Ordinal Numbers (1–10)
The table below shows the most frequently used ordinal numbers.
| Number | Masculine | Feminine | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | الأوّل | الأولى | al-awwal / al-ūlā | First |
| 2 | الثاني | الثانية | ath-thānī / ath-thāniyah | Second |
| 3 | الثالث | الثالثة | ath-thālith / ath-thālithah | Third |
| 4 | الرابع | الرابعة | ar-rābiʿ / ar-rābiʿah | Fourth |
| 5 | الخامس | الخامسة | al-khāmis / al-khāmisah | Fifth |
| 6 | السادس | السادسة | as-sādis / as-sādisah | Sixth |
| 7 | السابع | السابعة | as-sābiʿ / as-sābiʿah | Seventh |
| 8 | الثامن | الثامنة | ath-thāmin / ath-thāminah | Eighth |
| 9 | التاسع | التاسعة | at-tāsiʿ / at-tāsiʿah | Ninth |
| 10 | العاشر | العاشرة | al-ʿāshir / al-ʿāshirah | Tenth |
Examples
أنا في الصف الأول.
Anā fī aṣ-ṣaff al-awwal.
I am in the first grade.
هي في المرتبة الثانية.
Hiya fī al-martabah ath-thāniyah.
She is in second place.
Masculine and Feminine Ordinal Numbers
Arabic adjectives match the noun they describe.
Masculine nouns
الطالب الأول
aṭ-ṭālib al-awwal
The first male student
اليوم الثالث
al-yawm ath-thālith
The third day
Feminine nouns
الطالبة الأولى
aṭ-ṭālibah al-ūlā
The first female student
السيارة الرابعة
as-sayyārah ar-rābiʿah
The fourth car
A useful tip is that most feminine ordinal numbers end with ـة (tāʾ marbūṭah).
Using Ordinal Numbers in Everyday Arabic
Ordinal numbers appear in many daily situations.
Talking about dates
اليوم الأول من الشهر.
Al-yawm al-awwal mina ash-shahr.
The first day of the month.
في اليوم الخامس.
Fī al-yawm al-khāmis.
On the fifth day.
Talking about school
أنا في السنة الثانية.
Anā fī as-sanah ath-thāniyah.
I am in the second year.
Talking about buildings
أسكن في الطابق الثالث.
Askunu fī aṭ-ṭābiq ath-thālith.
I live on the third floor.
Talking about competitions
فاز بالمركز الأول.
Fāza bil-markaz al-awwal.
He won first place.
حصلت على المركز الثاني.
Ḥaṣalat ʿalā al-markaz ath-thānī.
She earned second place.
Common Expressions with Arabic Ordinal Numbers
These expressions are frequently used in conversations.
الأول
في المقام الأول
Fī al-maqām al-awwal.
First of all.
الثاني
للمرة الثانية
Lil-marrah ath-thāniyah.
For the second time.
الأخير
في اليوم الأخير
Fī al-yawm al-akhīr.
On the last day.
الأولوية
الأولوية الأولى
Al-awlawiyyah al-ūlā.
The first priority.
ترتيب
المرتبة الأولى
Al-martabah al-ūlā.
First place.
Tips for Learning Arabic Ordinal Numbers
Learning ordinal numbers becomes much easier with regular practice.
- Learn the numbers from first to tenth before moving to higher numbers.
- Practice both masculine and feminine forms together.
- Read Arabic calendars and notice dates.
- Watch Arabic news or sports broadcasts and listen for rankings.
- Use ordinal numbers when describing your school year, apartment floor, or race positions.
- Create flashcards with the Arabic word on one side and the English meaning on the other.
- Repeat each number aloud several times to improve pronunciation.
Daily repetition will help these words become natural.
Practice Exercise
Translate these into Arabic.
- The first teacher.
- The second lesson.
- The fourth floor.
- The seventh student.
- The tenth day.
Suggested Answers
- المعلم الأول (al-muʿallim al-awwal)
- الدرس الثاني (ad-dars ath-thānī)
- الطابق الرابع (aṭ-ṭābiq ar-rābiʿ)
- الطالب السابع (aṭ-ṭālib as-sābiʿ)
- اليوم العاشر (al-yawm al-ʿāshir)
Final Thoughts
Arabic ordinal numbers are an important part of everyday communication. They help you talk about rankings, dates, school years, apartment floors, chapters, and many other situations. Start by mastering the first ten ordinal numbers, then practice using them in complete sentences with both masculine and feminine nouns.
With regular listening, reading, and speaking practice, you will soon recognize and use Arabic ordinal numbers naturally in real conversations.
