You will turn numbers into ordinals such as birinci, ikinci and üçüncü and put them before a noun to talk about the first row or third place.
The idea
The suffix turns a number into its place in a series: iki becomes ikinci (second). Its vowel follows the last vowel of the number: -inci after e i, -ıncı after a ı, -uncu after o u, -üncü after ö ü, as in beşinci, kırkıncı, onuncu, üçüncü. When the number ends in a vowel, the first vowel of the suffix drops out: -nci, -ncı, -ncu, -ncü, as in ikinci, altıncı, yirminci. The ordinal stands before its noun: ikinci sıra.
| Last vowel | After a consonant | Example | After a vowel | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a, ı | -ıncı | kırkıncı | -ncı | altıncı |
| e, i | -inci | beşinci | -nci | ikinci |
| o, u | -uncu | onuncu | — | — |
| ö, ü | -üncü | üçüncü | — | — |
Examples
- Ben birinci sırada oturuyorum.I am sitting in the first row.The ordinal stands before its noun, like any adjective: birinci sıra. The pronoun ben may be dropped.
- Kızım dördüncü sınıfa gidiyor.My daughter is in the fourth grade.The final t of dört softens to d before a vowel: dört + üncü = dördüncü.
- Ben yarışta üçüncü oldum.I came third in the race.The ordinal can stand alone, without a noun: in üçüncü oldum it names the place you finished in. The ç of üç stays, and harmony gives ü: üçüncü.
- Toplantı beşinci katta.The meeting is on the fifth floor.
- Kaçıncı kattasınız?Which floor are you on?kaç (how many) + -ıncı asks for a place in a series. The last vowel of kaç is a, so the shape is -ıncı.
- üçüncüdein the thirdüçüncü-inci / -ıncı / -uncu / -üncü: ordinal numbersde-de / -da / -te / -ta: in, at, on
- altıncıdanfrom the sixthaltıncı-inci / -ıncı / -uncu / -üncü: ordinal numbersdan-den / -dan / -ten / -tan: from, out of
- onuncuyato the tenthonuncu-inci / -ıncı / -uncu / -üncü: ordinal numbersya-e / -a / -ye / -ya: to, towards
- ikincisithe second of themikinci-inci / -ıncı / -uncu / -üncü: ordinal numberssi-i / -si: his, her, its
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Watch out
After a number that ends in a vowel, do not add the whole suffix: ikinci, altıncı, yirminci, never ikiinci or yirmiinci. And dört softens: dördüncü, not dörtüncü.
Try it yourself
Make the ordinal of iki (two): second.
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ikinci
ikinci: iki ends in the vowel i, so the first vowel of the suffix drops out and only -nci is left.
Make the ordinal of altı (six): sixth.
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altıncı
altıncı: altı ends in a vowel, so only -ncı is added, and the back vowel ı gives ı, not i.
Make the ordinal of dört (four): fourth.
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dördüncü
dördüncü: the last vowel ö is front and rounded, so the suffix is -üncü, and the t of dört softens to d before the vowel.
Make the ordinal of otuz (thirty): thirtieth.
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otuzuncu
otuzuncu: otuz ends in a consonant, so the whole suffix is used, and the last vowel u gives -uncu.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Make the ordinal of iki (two): second.
Make the ordinal of altı (six): sixth.
Make the ordinal of dört (four): fourth.
Make the ordinal of otuz (thirty): thirtieth.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the parts in order to build this word: in the third
Tap the parts in order to build this word: from the sixth
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Write the ordinals from birinci to onuncu, then one sentence that says which row you sit in or which floor you live on.