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First, Second, Third in Irish (an chéad, an dara, an tríú)

First is an chéad, second is an dara, third is an tríú. They go in front of the thing, and the thing stays singular: an chéad lá, the first day; an dara lá, the second day. an chéad puts a séimhiú on a consonant (an chéad bhliain); the others put an h before a vowel (an dara háit).

The words: first to tenth

1stan chéad
2ndan dara
3rdan tríú
4than ceathrú
5than cúigiú
6than séú
7than seachtú
8than t-ochtú
9than naoú
10than deichiú

After ten: an t-aonú … déag (11th), an dóú … déag (12th), an tríú … déag (13th), an fichiú (20th), an t-aonú … is fiche (21st), an céadú (100th). The t- on an t-ochtú and an t-aonú is the ordinary t- the article puts before a vowel, as in an t-úll.

Two rules

an h is added
an chéad
an chéadthe first
+
bliainyear
=
an chéad bhliainthe first year

an chéad puts an h after the first letter of the thing (a séimhiú): an chéad bhliain, an chéad chluiche. Not after d, t or s: an chéad duine, an chéad teach, an chéad seachtain.

an dara on
an darathe second
+
áitplace
=
an dara háitsecond place

From an dara on, a consonant is left alone (an dara bliain, an tríú lá) and a vowel gets an h in front: an dara háit, an tríú huair, an ceathrú hurlár.

+ bliain year, starts with b+ teach house, starts with t+ áit place, starts with a vowel
1stan chéad bhliainan chéad teachan chéad áit
2ndan dara bliainan dara teachan dara háit
3rdan tríú bliainan tríú teachan tríú háit
4than ceathrú bliainan ceathrú teachan ceathrú háit
5than cúigiú bliainan cúigiú teachan cúigiú háit
10than deichiú bliainan deichiú teachan deichiú háit

In a sentence

Is é seo an chéad uair dom in Éirinn.
This is my first time in Ireland.
Tá sé sa chéad bhliain ar scoil.
He is in first year at school.
Tháinig sí sa dara háit.
She came second.
Tá cónaí orm ar an tríú hurlár.
I live on the third floor.
Inniu an t-ochtú lá de Dheireadh Fómhair.
Today is the eighth of October.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig, an seachtú lá déag de Mhárta.
St Patrick’s Day, the seventeenth of March.

céad on its own is a hundred: céad cat, a hundred cats. an chéad, with its h, is “the first”: an chéad chat, the first cat.

More numbers

a haon, a dó, a tríHow to count in Irish, 1 to 100 beirt, triúr, ceathrarHow to count people in Irish na huimhreachaAll the numbers in one place

First, second, third in Irish: the questions people ask

How do you say “first” in Irish?

an chéad, and it adds a séimhiú to the next word: an chéad bhliain (the first year), an chéad chluiche (the first match). Not to d, t or s: an chéad duine, an chéad teach.

How do you say “second” and “third” in Irish?

an dara and an tríú. They leave consonants alone and put an h before a vowel: an dara háit (second place), an dara bliain, an tríú huair (the third time).

How do you say “the first time” in Irish?

an chéad uair. Is é seo an chéad uair dom in Éirinn, this is my first time in Ireland. The third time is an tríú huair.

What is the difference between céad and an chéad?

an chéad with a séimhiú is “the first”: an chéad chat, the first cat. céad on its own is a hundred: céad cat, a hundred cats; an céadú is “the hundredth”.

How do you say 21st in Irish?

an t-aonú … is fiche: an t-aonú lá is fiche, the twenty-first day. Eleventh is an t-aonú lá déag, twelfth an dóú lá déag.