# Esperanto/Lesson 8

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## Ordinal numbers

Ordinal numbers are "first", "second", "third", etc.. In Esperanto, ordinal numbers are formed by tacking on the adjective ending -a onto the cardinal numbers and, if, necessary to combine the words using hyphens. If written with numerals, the ending is tacked on with a hyphen (1-a, 2-a, 11-a, etc.)
Examples :
| Cardinal number | Ordinal number | Meaning |
| unu | unua | first |
| du | dua | second |
| sep | sepa | seventh |
| dek unu | dek-unua | eleventh |
| tridek kvar | tridek-kvara | thirty-fourth |
| ducent kvindek naŭ | ducent-kvindek-naŭa | 259th |

## Affixes

Several suffixes are most commonly used with numbers, although they can be used with other words, too.

### -obl-

The suffix "-obla"/"-oble" indicates a multiple of the number, e.g. "double"/"twice", "five times", etc.
Examples :
| Derived word | Meaning |
| duobla duoble | double twice |
| kvinobla kvinoble | five times |
| dek-duobla dek-duoble | twelve times |

### -on-

The suffix "-ono" indicates a fraction of the number, e.g. "half", "fifth", etc.
Examples :
| Derived word | Meaning |
| duono duona | a half half of |
| kvinono | a fifth |
| dek-duono | one twelfth |

### -op-

The suffix "-ope" indicates a group of the size of the number, e.g. "duo", "quartet", etc.
Examples :
| Derived word | Meaning |
| duopo duope | a duo by twos |
| kvinopo | a quintet |
| dek-duope | every twelve, in groups of twelve |
| gutope | drop-by-drop |

## po

po is a preposition that roughly means "each". It is, however, placed near what is divided, unlike English "each", which is placed near the word over which it is divided.
Examples :
| Sentence | Meaning |
| Mi donis po tri pomojn al la knabinoj. | I gave the girls each three apples. But the English need not parallel Esperanto po: I gave each of the girls three apples. |
| Mi aĉetos po kvar librojn jare. | I will buy four books each year. |
| Tiuj floroj kostas po kvin eŭrojn. | Those flowers cost five euros each. |
| Ĉirkaŭ iliaj tabloj sidas po naŭ personoj, sed ĉirkaŭ miaj (tabloj) sidas neniu, sed po du personoj staris en tiuj. | Nine people each sit around their tables, around mine (my tables), however, no one sits, but two people each stand on them. |
| Ni manĝos po kvarono de la kuko. | We will each eat a quarter of the pie. |
po can also be used with a phrase:
Examples :
| Sentence | Meaning | Audio |
| Mi donis al ŝi pomojn po skatolo. | I gave her apples per box. | |
| Li portos al ni la akvon po granda botelo. | He will carry the water to us in big bottles. | |
Like other prepositions, po can be used in compounds, especially in adverbials:
Examples :
| Compound | Meaning |
| popece | per piece |
| pogute | drop-wise |
| poskatole | box-wise |

## Vocabulary

| Word | Meaning |
| guto | drop (of a liquid) |
| nombro | number (seen abstractly) |
| cifero | figure, a number expressed in digits |
| numero | number identifying one object from another |
| kvanto | quantity |
| jaro | year |
| kosti | to cost |
| eŭro | euro |
| persono | person |
| neniu | no one |
| kuko | pie, cake |
| skatolo | box |
| peco | piece |

## Exercises

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