Cardinal Numbers in Russian: Declension and Use

Cardinal Numbers in Russian: Declension and Use

Cardinal numbers are used to count and indicate the quantity of nouns. In Russian, cardinal numbers are more complex than in English because they decline based on the gender, case, and number of the noun they modify. Understanding how to use and decline cardinal numbers correctly is crucial for speaking Russian accurately.


1. Basic Cardinal Numbers

The basic cardinal numbers in Russian are as follows:

NumberRussian (Cardinal Number)Pronunciation
1один / одна / одноa-deen / a-na / a-no
2два / двеdva / dveh
3триtree
4четыреche-ty-re
5пятьpyat’
6шестьshest’
7семьsyem’
8восемьvo-syem’
9девятьdye-vyat’
10десятьdye-syat’
11одиннадцатьa-dee-nad-tsat’
12двенадцатьdve-nad-tsat’
20двадцатьdvad-tsat’
30тридцатьtreed-tsat’
100стоsto
1000тысячаtee-sya-cha

2. Declension of Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers in Russian decline according to the gender, case, and number of the noun they modify. Let’s explore how they change in different cases.

2.1. Declension of 1, 2, and 3

  • 1 (один / одна / одно): The form of «1» depends on the gender of the noun it modifies.
    • Masculine: один
    • Feminine: одна
    • Neuter: одно
CaseMasculineFeminineNeuter
Nominativeодиноднаодно
Genitiveодногооднойодного
Dativeодномуоднойодному
Accusativeодиноднуодно
Instrumentalоднимоднойодним
Prepositionalодномоднойодном

Examples:

  • Один человек (One person – masculine).
  • Одна книга (One book – feminine).
  • Одно окно (One window – neuter).
  • 2 (два / две): The form of «2» changes based on the gender of the noun.
    • Masculine: два
    • Feminine: две
    • Neuter: два
CaseMasculineFeminineNeuter
Nominativeдвадведва
Genitiveдвухдвухдвух
Dativeдвумдвумдвум
Accusativeдвадведва
Instrumentalдвумядвумядвумя
Prepositionalдвухдвухдвух

Examples:

  • Два стола (Two tables – masculine).
  • Две книги (Two books – feminine).
  • Два окна (Two windows – neuter).
  • 3 (три): The number «3» remains the same across all genders.
CaseSingular
Nominativeтри
Genitiveтрёх
Dativeтрём
Accusativeтри
Instrumentalтремя
Prepositionalтрёх

Examples:

  • Три стола (Three tables – masculine).
  • Три книги (Three books – feminine).
  • Три окна (Three windows – neuter).

2.2. Declension of Larger Numbers

When dealing with numbers larger than 3, Russian typically uses group declension for numbers like 4, 5, 6, etc. The declensions of these numbers are generally the same across genders for most cases, but certain numbers will show unique forms.

Case4 (четыре)5-20 (пять — двадцать)21-30 (двадцать — тридцать)
Nominativeчетырепять, шесть, семь, восемь…двадцать, тридцать…
Genitiveчетырёхпяти, шести, семи, восьми…двадцати, тридцати…
Dativeчетырёмпяти, шести, семи, восьми…двадцати, тридцати…
Accusativeчетырепять, шесть, семь, восемь…двадцать, тридцать…
Instrumentalчетырьмяпятью, шестью, семью, восемью…двадцатью, тридцатью…
Prepositionalчетырёхпяти, шести, семи, восьми…двадцати, тридцати…

Examples:

  • Четыре стола (Four tables).
  • Пять книг (Five books).
  • Двадцать человек (Twenty people).

3. Usage of Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers are used in a variety of contexts in Russian, including:

3.1. Counting

Cardinal numbers are most commonly used to count items, people, or things.

  • У меня два брата. (I have two brothers.)
  • Мы купили три яблока. (We bought three apples.)

3.2. Expressing Age

When talking about age, the number is in the nominative case.

  • Мне двадцать лет. (I am twenty years old.)
  • Ей тридцать три года. (She is thirty-three years old.)

3.3. Saying the Date

When stating the date, the day of the month is expressed with a cardinal number in the genitive case.

  • Сегодня двадцать восьмое января. (Today is the twenty-eighth of January.)
  • Пятнадцатое марта — мой день рождения. (The fifteenth of March is my birthday.)

4. Special Rules for Declension of Numbers 1-4

  • When the number 1 (один) is used in the nominative or accusative case with a masculine noun, it declines as один. For feminine nouns, it becomes одна, and for neuter nouns, одно is used.
  • The numbers 2, 3, 4 are declined differently for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns in the genitive case. For numbers 5 and above, the genitive plural form is used (e.g., пять книг – five books).

5. Conclusion

Cardinal numbers in Russian play a crucial role in expressing quantity, and their use involves understanding how they decline according to the gender, case, and number of the noun they modify. This declension system ensures that your sentences are grammatically correct and that numbers agree with the nouns in your sentence. By mastering the declension and use of cardinal numbers, you will significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively in Russian. cardinal numbers, you will significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively in Russian.

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