muzetu neqa lajame gugaje kucap piduca

Ordinal numerals in the Estonian language are used to denote the position or rank of something in a sequential order. The formation of these numerals involves a combination of base numbers and specific suffixes. Here is a brief overview of how ordinal numerals are formed in Estonian:

Basic Formation Rules

1. Suffix Addition: The primary method of forming ordinal numerals is by adding the suffix "-s" to the cardinal number. For example:

   • One (üks) becomes first (esimene)
   • Two (kaks) becomes second (teine)
   • Three (kolm) becomes third (kolmas)

2. Irregular Forms: Some ordinal numerals have irregular forms that do not follow the standard suffix addition rule. For instance:

   • First (esimene) does not derive directly from the cardinal number one (üks).
   • Second (teine) is also an irregular form.

3. Higher Numbers: For numbers beyond ten, the ordinal numerals are typically formed by adding the suffix "-s" to the cardinal number, but the base number may undergo slight modifications. For example:

   • Eleven (üksteist) becomes eleventh (üheteistkümnes)
   • Twenty (kakskümmend) becomes twentieth (kahekümnes)

Declension

Ordinal numerals in Estonian are declined according to case, number, and gender, similar to adjectives. This means that the ending of the ordinal numeral will change depending on its grammatical role in the sentence. For example:

• First (esimene) in the nominative case is "esimene," but in the genitive case, it becomes "esimese."

Examples

Here are some examples of ordinal numerals in Estonian:

• 1st: esimene
• 2nd: teine
• 3rd: kolmas
• 4th: neljas
• 5th: viies
• 10th: kümnes
• 21st: kahekümne esimene
• 100th: sajas

Usage in Sentences

Ordinal numerals are used in various contexts, such as dates, rankings, and sequences. For example:

• "Ta on esimene inimene, kes jõudis kohale." (He is the first person who arrived.)
• "See on minu teine kord siin olla." (This is my second time here.)