Ordinal Numbers
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To make an ordinal number in Lao, simply place the word 'ທີ' (thii) before the cardinal number.
- Use 'ທີ' (thii) for all ordinal numbers: ທີໜຶ່ງ (first), ທີສອງ (second).
- The number 'one' changes from 'ໜຶ່ງ' (nueng) to 'ທີໜຶ່ງ' (thii nueng) for 'first'.
- Ordinal numbers always follow the noun they describe, e.g., 'Chapter 1' is 'ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ'.
Meanings
Ordinal numbers indicate the position of an item in a sequence or order.
Sequence
Indicating rank or order in a list.
“ບົດທີສອງ (Chapter two)”
“ລຳດັບທີສາມ (Number three in sequence)”
Ordinal Number Formation
| Cardinal | Ordinal | Lao Script | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | thii nueng | ທີໜຶ່ງ | First |
| 2 | thii song | ທີສອງ | Second |
| 3 | thii saam | ທີສາມ | Third |
| 4 | thii haa | ທີຫ້າ | Fifth |
| 10 | thii sip | ທີສິບ | Tenth |
| 20 | thii sao | ທີຊາວ | Twentieth |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Noun + ທີ + Number | ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ |
| Question | Noun + ທີ + ໃດ (which)? | ບົດທີໃດ? |
| Negative | Not applicable | N/A |
| Ordinal Date | ວັນທີ + Number | ວັນທີຫ້າ |
| Ordinal Rank | ອັນດັບ + ທີ + Number | ອັນດັບທີໜຶ່ງ |
Formalitätsspektrum
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ (Academic)
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ (Academic)
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ (Academic)
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ (Academic)
Ordinal Structure
Structure
- Noun + ທີ + Number Standard order
Examples by Level
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ
Chapter one
ຄົນທີສອງ
The second person
ເຮືອນທີສາມ
The third house
ວັນທີສີ່
The fourth day
ຂ້ອຍຢູ່ຊັ້ນທີຫ້າ.
I am on the fifth floor.
ນີ້ແມ່ນຄັ້ງທີຫົກ.
This is the sixth time.
ລົດເມສາຍທີເຈັດ.
Bus line number seven.
ຫ້ອງທີແປດວ່າງ.
Room eight is empty.
ກອງປະຊຸມຄັ້ງທີເກົ້າ.
The ninth meeting.
ລາວໄດ້ທີສິບໃນການແຂ່ງຂັນ.
He got tenth place in the competition.
ນີ້ແມ່ນສະບັບທີສິບເອັດ.
This is the eleventh edition.
ຖະໜົນທີສິບສອງ.
Twelfth Street.
ບົດຄວາມນີ້ຢູ່ໃນໜ້າທີສິບສາມ.
This article is on page thirteen.
ລາວເປັນລູກທີສິບສີ່.
He is the fourteenth child.
ນີ້ແມ່ນໂອກາດທີສິບຫ້າ.
This is the fifteenth opportunity.
ຕຶກທີສິບຫົກ.
Building sixteen.
ການປະຕິຮູບຄັ້ງທີສິບເຈັດ.
The seventeenth reform.
ສະຕະວັດທີສິບແປດ.
The eighteenth century.
ນີ້ແມ່ນບົດທີສິບເກົ້າ.
This is the nineteenth chapter.
ປີທີຊາວ.
The twentieth year.
ສະໄໝທີຊາວເອັດ.
The twenty-first era.
ລຳດັບທີຊາວສອງ.
The twenty-second sequence.
ກອງທຶນທີຊາວສາມ.
The twenty-third fund.
ວາລະທີຊາວສີ່.
The twenty-fourth agenda.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up counting (1, 2, 3) with ordering (1st, 2nd, 3rd).
Learners think dates use a different system.
Learners put the ordinal before the noun.
Häufige Fehler
ທີໜຶ່ງບົດ
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ
ໜຶ່ງທີ
ທີໜຶ່ງ
ທີອັນໜຶ່ງ
ທີໜຶ່ງ
ທີສອງບົດ
ບົດທີສອງ
ວັນທີໜຶ່ງ
ວັນທີໜຶ່ງ (Correct, but watch for date context)
ທີສາມຄົນ
ຄົນທີສາມ
ທີສີ່ຫ້ອງ
ຫ້ອງທີສີ່
ລຳດັບທີໜຶ່ງ
ລຳດັບທີໜຶ່ງ (Correct)
ທີສິບເອັດ
ທີສິບເອັດ (Correct)
ທີສິບສອງ
ທີສິບສອງ (Correct)
ທີສິບເກົ້າ
ທີສິບເກົ້າ (Correct)
ທີຊາວ
ທີຊາວ (Correct)
ທີຊາວເອັດ
ທີຊາວເອັດ (Correct)
Sentence Patterns
___ ທີ ___
ນີ້ແມ່ນ ___ ທີ ___
ຂ້ອຍຢູ່ ___ ທີ ___
ລາວໄດ້ ___ ທີ ___
Real World Usage
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ
ເຮືອນທີສອງ
ວັນທີຫ້າ
ຄົນທີສາມ
ກອງປະຊຸມຄັ້ງທີສອງ
ອັນດັບທີໜຶ່ງ
Consistency
Noun Placement
Date Usage
Formality
Smart Tips
Learn the ordinal rule at the same time as the cardinal numbers.
Look for 'ທີ' to find the house or street number.
Always use 'ວັນທີ' for dates.
Use 'ຄັ້ງທີ' for meetings.
Aussprache
ທີ (thii)
The 'th' is an aspirated 't' sound, followed by a long 'ee' vowel.
Statement
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ທີ' (thii) as a 'Tee' on a golf course—it marks the spot where you start the first, second, or third hole.
Visual Association
Imagine a line of people wearing shirts with numbers. Each person has a small 'ທີ' sticker on their chest. The first person is 'ທີໜຶ່ງ'.
Rhyme
Number one is ທີໜຶ່ງ, number two is ທີສອງ, keep the order all day long.
Story
I went to the store. I looked at the first shelf (ຊັ້ນທີໜຶ່ງ). Then the second shelf (ຊັ້ນທີສອງ). Finally, I found my item on the third shelf (ຊັ້ນທີສາມ).
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look around your room and label 5 items using the ordinal system (e.g., Book 1 = ປຶ້ມທີໜຶ່ງ).
Kulturelle Hinweise
Ordinal numbers are used in school, government, and daily life. They are very important for dates.
The particle 'ທີ' is a native Lao word used to mark sequence.
Conversation Starters
ເຈົ້າຢູ່ຫ້ອງທີໃດ?
ນີ້ແມ່ນຄັ້ງທີເທົ່າໃດ?
ບົດທີສາມຍາກບໍ່?
ເຈົ້າໄດ້ອັນດັບທີເທົ່າໃດ?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
ບົດ ___ ສອງ
Choose the correct one:
Find and fix the mistake:
What is the correct form?
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ -> ?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Build the sentence.
Choose the correct one:
ປີ ___ ຊາວ
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesບົດ ___ ສອງ
Choose the correct one:
Find and fix the mistake:
What is the correct form?
ບົດທີໜຶ່ງ -> ?
Match ທີສາມ with English.
Build the sentence.
Choose the correct one:
ປີ ___ ຊາວ
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, the number stays the same. Just add 'ທີ' before it.
Yes, from 1 to infinity.
The noun always comes before the ordinal phrase.
It is 'ທີໜຶ່ງ'.
Dates use 'ວັນທີ' + number.
Yes, it is the standard way to write ordinals.
People will think you are counting objects, not ordering them.
No, Lao is perfectly regular.
In Other Languages
Primero, segundo...
Lao is analytic; Spanish is synthetic.
Premier, deuxième...
Lao has no irregular ordinal forms.
Erste, zweite...
Lao uses a prefix particle.
Dai-ichi, dai-ni...
Lao is post-nominal; Japanese is pre-nominal.
Al-awwal, al-thani...
Lao is post-nominal.
Di-yi, di-er...
Lao is post-nominal.
