Fractions and Collective Numerals in Russian

In Russian, fractions and collective numerals play important roles in expressing quantities in more specialized contexts, such as measurements, proportions, and groups of objects. These numerals differ from cardinal and ordinal numbers, and they follow their own rules of declension and usage.
Let’s explore fractions and collective numerals in detail.
1. Fractions in Russian
Fractions in Russian express parts of a whole. They are used in contexts like mathematics, cooking, and measurements. Fractions are formed by combining whole numbers and parts, and they also decline based on the gender and case of the noun they modify.
1.1. Basic Fraction Forms
Here are some common fractions in Russian and their usage:
Fraction | Russian Form | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
1/2 | половина (whole) / половина (fraction) | pa-lo-vee-na |
1/3 | треть | tryet’ |
1/4 | четверть | chyet-vyert’ |
1/5 | пятая часть | pya-ta-ya chas’ |
1/10 | десятая часть | dye-syat-ya chas’ |
2/3 | две трети | dve tre-tee |
3/4 | три четверти | tree chyet-vyer-ty |
1/2 | одна вторая | od-na vto-ra-ya |
1.2. Declension of Fractions
Fractions in Russian decline according to the gender of the noun they describe. Notice that fractions like половина (half), треть (third), and четверть (quarter) have feminine forms.
Case | 1/2 (половина) | 1/3 (треть) | 1/4 (четверть) |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | половина | треть | четверть |
Genitive | половины | трети | четверти |
Dative | половине | трети | четверти |
Accusative | половину | треть | четверть |
Instrumental | половиной | третью | четвертью |
Prepositional | половине | третье | четверти |
Examples:
- Одна половина книги (One half of the book – feminine).
- Треть людей (A third of the people – feminine).
- Четверть пирога (A quarter of the pie – feminine).
2. Collective Numerals in Russian
Collective numerals refer to a group or set of things, and they are used to express quantities that imply a collective or group nature. These numerals typically describe groups of people or things, such as «two pairs,» «three dozen,» or «four heads» (indicating people or animals).
Unlike regular cardinal numbers, collective numerals are used with singular nouns, and they also decline according to the gender and case of the noun.
2.1. Common Collective Numerals
Here are some examples of common collective numerals in Russian:
Collective Numeral | Meaning | Russian Form |
---|---|---|
2 (used with pairs) | two (pairs of things) | пара (pair) |
3 (used with sets) | three (sets of things) | тройка (trio) |
4 (used with sets) | four (sets of things) | четвёрка (four) |
5 (used with sets) | five (sets of things) | пятёрка (five) |
10 (used with sets) | ten (sets of things) | десятка (dozen) |
100 (used with sets) | hundred (sets of things) | сотня (hundred) |
1000 (used with groups) | thousand (sets of things) | тысяча (thousand) |
2.2. Declension of Collective Numerals
Collective numerals decline with singular nouns because they refer to a group or set of things. Here’s how they decline in the nominative and genitive cases.
Case | 2 (пара) | 3 (тройка) | 4 (четвёрка) | 10 (десятка) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | пара | тройка | четвёрка | десятка |
Genitive | пары | тройки | четвёрки | десятки |
Dative | паре | тройке | четвёрке | десятке |
Accusative | пару | тройку | четвёрку | десятку |
Instrumental | парой | тройкой | четвёркой | десяткой |
Prepositional | паре | тройке | четвёрке | десятке |
Examples:
- Две пары обуви (Two pairs of shoes – feminine).
- Тройка лошадей (A trio of horses – feminine).
- Четвёрка студентов (Four students – feminine).
- Десятка яблок (A dozen apples – neuter).
3. Usage of Fractions and Collective Numerals
Both fractions and collective numerals are used in a variety of contexts:
3.1. Fractions
Fractions are commonly used in math, measurements, and when describing parts of something:
- Полтора яблока (One and a half apples).
- Треть времени (A third of the time).
- Половина работы (Half of the work).
3.2. Collective Numerals
Collective numerals are used to indicate groups or sets of things:
- Пара дней (A couple of days).
- Тройка машин (Three cars – informal or group).
- Десятка людей (A group of ten people).
4. Important Points about Fractions and Collective Numerals
- Fractions: When expressing fractions, Russian uses the genitive case with the fraction. For example, половина (half) takes the genitive singular form when modifying a singular noun.
- Collective numerals: These numerals work similarly to other group quantities, but they always modify the singular noun. For example, десятка (a dozen) takes a singular form of the noun it modifies, even though it refers to multiple things.
5. Conclusion
Fractions and collective numerals are important parts of the Russian numerical system, used to express parts of a whole or collective quantities. They follow specific patterns of declension and are used in various contexts such as measurements, quantities, and groupings. By mastering their usage and declension, you will be able to express complex quantities and groupings more accurately in Russian.