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:
Number | Russian (Cardinal Number) | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
1 | один / одна / одно | a-deen / a-na / a-no |
2 | два / две | dva / dveh |
3 | три | tree |
4 | четыре | che-ty-re |
5 | пять | pyat’ |
6 | шесть | shest’ |
7 | семь | syem’ |
8 | восемь | vo-syem’ |
9 | девять | dye-vyat’ |
10 | десять | dye-syat’ |
11 | одиннадцать | a-dee-nad-tsat’ |
12 | двенадцать | dve-nad-tsat’ |
20 | двадцать | dvad-tsat’ |
30 | тридцать | treed-tsat’ |
100 | сто | sto |
1000 | тысяча | tee-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
Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | один | одна | одно |
Genitive | одного | одной | одного |
Dative | одному | одной | одному |
Accusative | один | одну | одно |
Instrumental | одним | одной | одним |
Prepositional | одном | одной | одном |
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
Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | два | две | два |
Genitive | двух | двух | двух |
Dative | двум | двум | двум |
Accusative | два | две | два |
Instrumental | двумя | двумя | двумя |
Prepositional | двух | двух | двух |
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.
Case | Singular |
---|---|
Nominative | три |
Genitive | трёх |
Dative | трём |
Accusative | три |
Instrumental | тремя |
Prepositional | трёх |
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.
Case | 4 (четыре) | 5-20 (пять — двадцать) | 21-30 (двадцать — тридцать) |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | четыре | пять, шесть, семь, восемь… | двадцать, тридцать… |
Genitive | четырёх | пяти, шести, семи, восьми… | двадцати, тридцати… |
Dative | четырём | пяти, шести, семи, восьми… | двадцати, тридцати… |
Accusative | четыре | пять, шесть, семь, восемь… | двадцать, тридцать… |
Instrumental | четырьмя | пятью, шестью, семью, восемью… | двадцатью, тридцатью… |
Prepositional | четырёх | пяти, 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.