Järjestysnumerot

Järjestysnumerot, often translated as ordinal numbers, indicate the position of an item in a sequence. In Finnish, they are typically formed by adding a suffix to the cardinal number. For example, "yksi" (one) becomes "ensimmäinen" (first), "kaksi" (two) becomes "toinen" (second), and "kolme" (three) becomes "kolmas" (third). Beyond the first few, the pattern is more regular: the cardinal number is followed by the suffix "-s" or "-s". For instance, "neljä" (four) becomes "neljäs" (fourth), and "kymmenen" (ten) becomes "kymmenes" (tenth).

These numbers function as adjectives and agree in case and number with the noun they modify. For example, "kolmas talo" (the third house) is nominative singular. If referring to the third houses, it would be "kolmannet talot". In oblique cases, the ordinal number undergoes changes. "Toisen talon" means "of the second house," and "kolmannessa talossa" means "in the third house."

Ordinal numbers are crucial for expressing order, ranking, and enumeration in a sequential context. They are used in dates, for example, "ensimmäinen tammikuuta" (the first of January), and in describing rankings, such as in competitions or lists. The irregular forms for the first three ordinal numbers are a common feature in many languages and require memorization. The consistent suffixation thereafter makes the formation of most ordinal numbers predictable.