16.3 Ordinal Numerals (Gender and Number in Nominative)
In this module, you will become familiar with ordinal numerals and their endings for all genders as well as for plural in the nominative case. You will practice agreement between numerals and nouns or pronouns and learn the difference between the question words яки́й and котри́й.
Завдання 1
Read the following description of a student’s class schedule, using context to recognize the ordinal numerals that indicate the order of his classes ( i.e.,”first,” “second,” “third,” etc.). Note that these ordinal numerals agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify just like adjectives do. Then answer the questions that follow.
Завдання 2
Listen to the following statements and select the person most likely to say them.
Завдання 3
Complete the sentences below using the ordinal numerals from the bank. If needed, use the Dobra Forma Glossary to look up unknown words.
Важли́во!
Most ordinal numerals are formed by replacing the soft sign (-ь) with which the regular (cardinal) numeral ends with -ий / -а / -е / -i, depending on the gender and number of the noun it goes with. This rule works for almost all numerals from де́в’ять on. For example:
де́в’ять → дев’я́тий но́мер
де́сять → деся́те завда́ння
одина́дцять → одина́дцятий по́верх
двана́дцять → двана́дцята люди́на
трина́дцять → трина́дцяте мі́сце
два́дцять → двадця́те число́
As the examples in the activities of this module demonstrate, ordinal numerals before дев’я́тий are less regular and are best memorized:
оди́н → пе́рший
два → дру́гий
три → тре́тій
чоти́ри → четве́ртий
п’ять → п’я́тий
шість → шо́стий
сім → сьо́мий
ві́сім → во́сьмий
Завдання 4
Complete the dialogues below using the ordinal numerals from the bank.
Ціка́во!
Ukrainian uses ordinal numerals in a number of contexts where English uses cardinal numbers. Some common examples include:
page numbers: во́сьма сторі́нка
apartment numbers: двана́дцята кварти́ра
public transportation route numbers: сьо́мий авто́бус
telling time in hours (but not minutes!): за́раз дев’я́та годи́на
In addition, most public schools have numbers instead of names and ordinal numerals are often used to refer to them in speech:
Це во́сьма шко́ла. (In writing: шко́ла №8)
Завдання 5
Read the captions below and note that a different question word is used to ask about the order of something in a sequence. Note also that this question word (котри́й, котра́, котре́, котрі́) agrees in number and gender with the noun being asked about, just as the question word яки́й does.
 – Яка́ це кварти́ра? – Мале́нька, однокімна́тна. |
 – Котра́ це кварти́ра? – Деся́та. |
Based on what you have learned, select the most appropriate responses to the questions below.
Ціка́во!
Like English, Ukrainian uses ordinal numerals for “first course” and “second course” at mealtime. You will often see subheadings Пе́рші стра́ви (literally: First Dishes) and Дру́гі стра́ви (literally: Second Dishes) in menus. In Ukrainian culture, soup is usually served as the first course, so the section Пе́рші стра́ви will mostly consist of soups. Various kinds of entrées are listed under Дру́гі стра́ви.
The ordinal numerals in the neuter gender, пе́рше and дру́ге, can also function as nouns when they are used to designate the first and second course during a meal. For example:
– Ти бу́деш пе́рше?
– Ні, я не хо́чу су́пу.
Офіціант: Що бажа́єте на дру́ге?
Завдання 6
Listen to the following questions and choose the most appropriate answers.
Мо́вний пазл
А тепе́р тест!
Complete the dialogues below by providing the appropriate form of a question word (який or котрий) or of an ordinal numeral. If an ordinal numeral is required, the appropriate digit is provided before the blank. You will need to determine the correct question word (and its form) from context.
