sorszámok

Sorszámok, known in English as ordinal numbers, are words or symbols that indicate the position or order of an item in a sequence. They are distinct from cardinal numbers, which denote quantity. For example, in the sequence "apple, banana, cherry," "apple" is first, "banana" is second, and "cherry" is third.

In Hungarian, sorszámok are formed by adding specific suffixes to cardinal numbers. The most common suffix is "-ik", as in "első" (first), "második" (second), "harmadik" (third). However, for numbers above ten, the suffix is typically "-adik" or "-edik" depending on the preceding vowel, for instance, "tizedik" (tenth), "huszadik" (twentieth). Some sorszámok have irregular forms, such as "első" and "második".

These numbers are used in various contexts, including dates (e.g., "március tizedike" - March tenth), rankings (e.g., "az első helyezett" - the first-place winner), and everyday descriptions of order (e.g., "a harmadik ház balra" - the third house on the left). Understanding sorszámok is fundamental to comprehending sequential information and ordering in the Hungarian language. They are essential for communication that requires specifying position rather than just counting.