Ordinal numbers are used to describe something’s position relative to others. In other words, these are an object’s rankings or placings.
To turn a number into an ordinal number, add the ending -ஆவது.
The only exception is the ordinal number for 1, which is முதலாவது. Here are the first 10 ordinal numbers:
| Ordinal Numbers 1-10 | |
|---|---|
| முதலாவது | first |
| இரண்டாவது | second |
| மூன்றாவது | third |
| நான்காவது | fourth |
| ஐந்தாவது | fifth |
| ஆறாவது | sixth |
| ஏழாவது | seventh |
| எட்டாவது | eighth |
| ஒன்பதாவது | ninth |
| பத்தாவது | tenth |
| = irregular |
The only exception to using ordinal numbers, as they are, is when naming dates such as “February 29th” or “August 13th”.
When naming a date, the suffix “-ஆம்” is added to the number. The word “தேதி” follows the number.
The word தேதி means “date”.
Some examples of dates (using English months):