---
title: "dropFirst(_:)"
framework: swift
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "swift/string/dropfirst(_:)"
---

# dropFirst(_:)

Returns a subsequence containing all but the given number of initial elements.

## Declaration

```swift
func dropFirst(_ k: Int = 1) -> Self.SubSequence
```

## Parameters

- `k`: The number of elements to drop from the beginning of the collection. k must be greater than or equal to zero.

## Return Value

Return Value A subsequence starting after the specified number of elements.

## Discussion

Discussion If the number of elements to drop exceeds the number of elements in the collection, the result is an empty subsequence. let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] print(numbers.dropFirst(2)) // Prints "[3, 4, 5]" print(numbers.dropFirst(10)) // Prints "[]" note: O(1) if the collection conforms to RandomAccessCollection; otherwise, O(k), where k is the number of elements to drop from the beginning of the collection.

## See Also

### Removing Substrings

- [remove(at:)](swift/string/remove(at:).md)
- [remove(at:)](swift/string/remove(at:)-5g0wm.md)
- [removeAll(keepingCapacity:)](swift/string/removeall(keepingcapacity:).md)
- [removeAll(where:)](swift/string/removeall(where:).md)
- [removeFirst()](swift/string/removefirst().md)
- [removeFirst(_:)](swift/string/removefirst(_:).md)
- [removeLast()](swift/string/removelast().md)
- [removeLast(_:)](swift/string/removelast(_:).md)
- [removeSubrange(_:)](swift/string/removesubrange(_:).md)
- [removeSubrange(_:)](swift/string/removesubrange(_:)-8maxn.md)
- [removeSubrange(_:)](swift/string/removesubrange(_:)-9twng.md)
- [drop(while:)](swift/string/drop(while:).md)
- [dropLast(_:)](swift/string/droplast(_:).md)
- [popLast()](swift/string/poplast().md)