Hindi Ordinal Numbers: 1st, 2nd, 3rd (Pehla, Dusra)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Hindi ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd) function as adjectives and must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
- Use 'Pehla' (पहला) for 1st. It changes to 'Pehli' (पहली) for feminine nouns.
- Use 'Dusra' (दूसरा) for 2nd. It changes to 'Dusri' (दूसरी) for feminine nouns.
- Use 'Tisra' (तीसरा) for 3rd. It changes to 'Tisri' (तीसरी) for feminine nouns.
Overview
Hindi ordinal numbers, known as kram-vachak sankhya (क्रम-वाचक संख्या), are essential for indicating position, sequence, or rank. Unlike cardinal numbers like ek (एक, one) or do (दो, two), ordinals transform these into pehla (पहला, first) or dusra (दूसरा, second). They function as adjectives, modifying nouns to specify their place in an ordered set.
Mastering these is crucial for communicating effectively in Hindi, enabling you to express concepts like "the first chapter," "the second floor," or "my third attempt."
This grammatical concept is fundamental at the A2 level, allowing you to move beyond simple counting to descriptive sequencing. Ordinal numbers are integral to everyday interactions, from stating dates and addresses to describing steps in a process or ranking items. Their adjectival nature means they must agree with the gender and number of the noun they describe, a characteristic feature of Hindi grammar that reflects the language's rich inflectional system.
Understanding this agreement is key to sounding natural and precise.
For example, to say "the first boy," you would use pehla ladka (पहला लड़का). However, "the first girl" requires pehli ladki (पहली लड़की), demonstrating the change based on gender. This pattern of agreement extends to all ordinal numbers and is a core principle we will explore in depth.
These numbers provide the structural backbone for ordering information, making your Hindi more sophisticated and your descriptions clearer. They are not merely numbers; they are descriptive tools that bring clarity and order to your communication.
How This Grammar Works
-aa (आ), such as achhaa (अच्छा, good) or badaa (बड़ा, big). This means they inflect, or change their endings, to agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify. Furthermore, they undergo a specific transformation when followed by a postposition (the Hindi equivalent of prepositions), which is known as the oblique case.-aa (e.g., pehla पहला) will change to -i (ई) for feminine singular and plural nouns, and to -e (ए) for masculine plural nouns. The -e ending also applies to both masculine singular and plural nouns when they are in the oblique case. This consistent pattern simplifies their application once the core rules are understood.dusra (दूसरा, second): when modifying a masculine singular noun like din (दिन, day), it remains dusra din (दूसरा दिन). For a feminine noun like kitaab (किताब, book), it becomes dusri kitaab (दूसरी किताब). If you are referring to multiple masculine days, it would be dusre din (दूसरे दिन), although doosre din more often translates to "the other day" or "on the second day." When a postposition like mein (में, in) follows, the masculine noun and its adjective enter the oblique case.dusra kamra (दूसरा कमरा, second room) becomes dusre kamre mein (दूसरे कमरे में, in the second room). The ordinal dusra changes to dusre, and the noun kamra changes to kamre.pehla (पहला, first):pehla (पहला) | pehle (पहले) | pehle (पहले) | pehli (पहली) |pehla kamra | pehle kamre | pehle kamre mein | pehli kitaab |Formation Pattern
pehla (पहला)
ek (एक, one), pehla is completely distinct. It inflects as pehla (म.सिं.), pehle (म.बहु./ओब्लिक), pehli (स्त्री.सिं./बहु.).
mera pehla pyaar (मेरा पहला प्यार, my first love), pehli baar (पहली बार, first time).
dusra (दूसरा)
do (दो, two), dusra still shows significant transformation. It inflects as dusra (म.सिं.), dusre (म.बहु./ओब्लिक), dusri (स्त्री.सिं./बहु.).
dusra bhai (दूसरा भाई, second brother), dusri dukaan (दूसरी दुकान, second shop).
tisra (तीसरा)
teen (तीन, three), tisra follows the same adjectival inflection pattern: tisra (म.सिं.), tisre (म.बहु./ओब्लिक), tisri (स्त्री.सिं./बहु.).
tisra din (तीसरा दिन, third day), teesri manzil (तीसरी मंज़िल, third floor).
chautha (चौथा)
chaar (चार, four), chautha also inflects regularly: chautha (म.सिं.), chauthe (म.बहु./ओब्लिक), chauthi (स्त्री.सिं./बहु.).
chautha adhyay (चौथा अध्याय, fourth chapter), chauthi kismat (चौथी क़िस्मत, fourth destiny).
वाँ (-van). This suffix, like the -aa ending of the irregulars, also inflects for gender, number, and case, changing to वें (-ven) or वीं (-vin).
वाँ (वाँ)
paanch (पाँच, five) → paanchvan (पाँचवाँ, fifth)
saat (सात, seven) → saatvan (सातवाँ, seventh)
das (दस, ten) → dasvan (दसवाँ, tenth)
वाँ often appears in formal contexts, while in casual speech, it might be simplified or implicitly understood. The inflection follows: paanchvan (म.सिं.), paanchven (म.बहु./ओब्लिक), paanchvin (स्त्री.सिं./बहु.).
chhatha)
chhatha (छठा, sixth), which deviates from the -van pattern despite being past the initial four. It's not chhahvan. It inflects as chhatha (म.सिं.), chhathe (म.बहु./ओब्लिक), chhati (स्त्री.सिं./बहु.).
chhatha khaana (छठा खाना, sixth meal), chhati class (छठी क्लास, sixth class).
pehla |
dusra |
tisra |
chautha |
paanchvan |
chhatha |
saatvan |
aathvan |
nauvan |
dasvan |
gyarahvan ग्यारहवाँ for 11th, barahvan बारहवाँ for 12th), consistently using the -van suffix with its appropriate inflections. Memorizing the first four irregularities and chhatha will cover most common scenarios.
When To Use It
- Dates and Timeframes: Ordinals are frequently used when referring to specific dates or sequential time periods.
Aaj mahine ki teesri tareekh hai.(आज महीने की तीसरी तारीख़ है। – Today is the third date/day of the month.)Yah mera dasvaan janamdin hai.(यह मेरा दसवाँ जन्मदिन है। – This is my tenth birthday.)Pichle hafte ki dusri meeting.(पिछले हफ़्ते की दूसरी मीटिंग। – The second meeting of last week.)
- Floors, Levels, and Chapters: When indicating levels in a building, sections in a book, or stages in a process, ordinals are indispensable.
Hum teesri manzil par rehte hain.(हम तीसरी मंज़िल पर रहते हैं। – We live on the third floor.)Kripya pehla adhyay padhen.(कृपया पहला अध्याय पढ़ें। – Please read the first chapter.)Yah is yojana ka paanchvaan charan hai.(यह इस योजना का पाँचवाँ चरण है। – This is the fifth phase of this plan.)
- Order, Rank, and Sequence: To describe position in a queue, a competition, or any ordered list.
Woh daud mein pehla aaya.(वह दौड़ में पहला आया। – He came first in the race.)Aapka number nauvaan hai.(आपका नंबर नौवाँ है। – Your number is ninth.)Meri team dusre sthan par hai.(मेरी टीम दूसरे स्थान पर है। – My team is in second place.)
- Occurrences or Attempts: When referring to
Ordinal Gender Agreement
| Ordinal | Masc. Sing. | Fem. Sing. | Masc. Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1st
|
पहला (Pehla)
|
पहली (Pehli)
|
पहले (Pehle)
|
|
2nd
|
दूसरा (Dusra)
|
दूसरी (Dusri)
|
दूसरे (Dusre)
|
|
3rd
|
तीसरा (Tisra)
|
तीसरी (Tisri)
|
तीसरे (Tisre)
|
Meanings
Ordinal numbers indicate the position of an item in a sequence. In Hindi, they act as adjectives, meaning they must match the gender of the noun they describe.
Sequence Position
Identifying the order of items in a list or series.
“पहला दिन (First day)”
“दूसरी कक्षा (Second class)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Ordinal + Noun
|
पहला दिन (First day)
|
|
Feminine
|
Ordinal(-i) + Noun
|
पहली बात (First thing)
|
|
Plural
|
Ordinal(-e) + Noun
|
पहले लोग (First people)
|
|
Oblique
|
Ordinal(-e) + Postposition
|
पहले दिन में (In the first day)
|
|
Question
|
Ordinal + Noun + Hai?
|
क्या यह पहली बार है? (Is this the first time?)
|
|
Negative
|
Nahi + Ordinal + Noun
|
यह पहली बार नहीं है। (This is not the first time.)
|
Formality Spectrum
यह मेरा प्रथम अवसर है। (Social)
यह मेरी पहली बार है। (Social)
पहली बार है ये। (Social)
फर्स्ट टाइम है। (Social)
Ordinal Gender Map
Masculine
- पहला 1st
Feminine
- पहली 1st
Examples by Level
यह पहला दिन है।
This is the first day.
वह दूसरी किताब है।
That is the second book.
तीसरा घर मेरा है।
The third house is mine.
पहला पाठ आसान है।
The first lesson is easy.
क्या यह आपकी दूसरी यात्रा है?
Is this your second trip?
मैंने पहली बार खाना बनाया।
I cooked for the first time.
तीसरा लड़का मेरा भाई है।
The third boy is my brother.
दूसरी लड़की कहाँ है?
Where is the second girl?
पहले दिन मैंने बहुत काम किया।
On the first day, I did a lot of work.
दूसरी बात यह है कि वह नहीं आएगा।
The second thing is that he will not come.
तीसरे कमरे में कोई है।
There is someone in the third room.
यह मेरी पहली कोशिश है।
This is my first attempt.
उसने दूसरी बार अपनी गलती मानी।
He admitted his mistake for the second time.
पहले व्यक्ति को अंदर बुलाओ।
Call the first person inside.
तीसरी मंजिल पर लिफ्ट खराब है।
The elevator on the third floor is broken.
यह दूसरी सबसे बड़ी समस्या है।
This is the second biggest problem.
प्रथम विश्व युद्ध को पहला विश्व युद्ध भी कहते हैं।
The First World War is also called the first world war.
उसकी दूसरी प्रतिक्रिया काफी सकारात्मक थी।
His second reaction was quite positive.
तीसरे विकल्प पर विचार करना आवश्यक है।
It is necessary to consider the third option.
पहली दफा मैंने उसे वहाँ देखा।
The first time I saw him there.
द्वितीय और तृतीय श्रेणी के यात्रियों के लिए अलग व्यवस्था है।
There is a separate arrangement for second and third class passengers.
पहली बार में ही उसने बाजी मार ली।
He won on the very first attempt.
तीसरी बार भी वही परिणाम मिला।
The same result was obtained for the third time.
दूसरी ओर, स्थिति बदल गई है।
On the other hand, the situation has changed.
Easily Confused
Learners use 'Ek' (one) instead of 'Pehla' (first).
Using masculine forms for feminine nouns.
Using direct form in oblique sentences.
Common Mistakes
पहला बार
पहली बार
एक दिन
पहला दिन
दूसरा लड़की
दूसरी लड़की
तीसरा बात
तीसरी बात
पहला की किताब
पहली किताब
दोसरा
दूसरा
तीसरे दिन को
तीसरे दिन
पहले लोगों
पहले लोग
तीसरी व्यक्ति
तीसरा व्यक्ति
पहली बारों में
पहली बार में
प्रथम की श्रेणी
प्रथम श्रेणी
Sentence Patterns
यह मेरी ___ ___ है।
___ ___ मेरा है।
क्या यह आपकी ___ ___ है?
___ ___ में बहुत भीड़ है।
Real World Usage
पहली बार!
यह मेरा पहला अनुभव है।
दूसरी ट्रेन कब है?
पहला ऑर्डर डिस्काउंट।
तीसरा मोड़ लें।
मेरी पहली पोस्ट।
Gender Check
Don't use Cardinals
Oblique Case
Formal vs Informal
Smart Tips
Check if it's masculine or feminine before saying the ordinal.
Always use the 'Pehle' form.
Use 'Pehli' for 'Pehli baar'.
Use Pehla, Dusra, Tisra.
Pronunciation
Retroflex sounds
The 't' in 'tisra' is retroflex (tongue touches roof of mouth).
Statement
यह पहला दिन है। ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Pehla (1st) starts with P, like 'Prime'. Dusra (2nd) sounds like 'Do' (two). Tisra (3rd) sounds like 'Tri' (three).
Visual Association
Imagine a race. The winner wears a shirt with 'Pehla' on it. The runner-up has a 'Dusra' sign. The third person has a 'Tisra' sign.
Rhyme
Pehla, Dusra, Tisra, teen, Hindi ordinals are easy to glean.
Story
I went to the first shop (Pehli dukaan). I bought a second pen (Dusra pen). I saw a third cat (Tisri billi).
Word Web
Challenge
Look at the first 3 items on your desk and name them in Hindi using ordinals.
Cultural Notes
Ordinals are used heavily in formal education and hierarchy.
Hindi ordinals derive from Sanskrit roots.
Conversation Starters
आपका पहला दिन कैसा था?
आपकी दूसरी पसंदीदा फिल्म कौन सी है?
तीसरी बार आप कहाँ जाना चाहेंगे?
क्या यह आपकी पहली बार है?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
यह मेरी ___ (1st) बार है।
___ दिन बहुत अच्छा था।
Find and fix the mistake:
वह दूसरा लड़की है।
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The third house.
Answer starts with: तीस...
पहला (Masc) -> ?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use 'दूसरी' and 'किताब'.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesयह मेरी ___ (1st) बार है।
___ दिन बहुत अच्छा था।
Find and fix the mistake:
वह दूसरा लड़की है।
है / पहली / यह / बार
The third house.
पहला (Masc) -> ?
1st = ?
Use 'दूसरी' and 'किताब'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesThird time
Match these pairs:
है / चौथा / यह / वीडियो / मेरा
यह ___ चैप्टर है।
In the first room:
Woh dusra galli mein hai.
Seventh floor
___ (Tenth) दिन।
क्या / बार / पहली / है / यह / ?
Both of them:
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Because it is an adjective and must agree with the noun's gender.
Use 'Chautha'.
Yes, 'Pehla ladka' (first boy).
Use 'Pehle' for masculine plural.
No, 'Ek' means one.
Yes, 'Pratham' is used.
Yes, it becomes 'Pehle'.
Yes, all numbers have ordinals.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Primero/a
Spanish has more complex pluralization.
Premier/Première
French uses different endings.
Erste
German has three genders.
Dai-ichi
No gender agreement.
Al-awwal
Arabic uses definite articles.
Di-yi
No gender or number agreement.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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