па + Number for Each

Distributive Па with Numbers

Level 5Sounds Like pa + razmerkavalʹny líčébník

Па + number means each or apiece: Дзеці атрымалі па два яблыкі. (Each child got two apples.)

How It Works

Па before a number gives the same amount to each member of a group, like English each or apiece. Without па, the number is a total: Дзеці атрымалі два яблыкі means the children got two apples between them.

Two and up. The number and noun keep their usual form: па два яблыкі, па дзве кнігі (nominative plural after 2–4), па пяць яблыкаў, па дзесяць рублёў (genitive plural after 5). This works up to па сто, па трыста and па паўтара.

  • Мы заплацілі па дзесяць рублёў. (We paid ten rubles each.)
  • У кожнай групе было па пяць чалавек. (Each group had five people.)

One. With адзін, both па адным (locative) and па аднаму (dative) are used: па адной кнізе. Often a single noun is enough, in the dative: Дзеці атрымалі па яблыку. (Each child got an apple.) Па рублю кілаграм. (A ruble a kilo.)

One at a time, in twos. Па адным also means one at a time: Заходзьце па адным. With a collective numeral it means in twos, in threes: Яны ішлі па двое.

Examples (6)

  1. Дзеці атрымалі па два яблыкі.

    Each child got two apples.

    Word by Word: Children received each two apples.

  2. Мы заплацілі па дзесяць рублёў.

    We paid ten rubles each.

    Word by Word: We paid each ten of-rubles.

  3. Настаўніца дала вучням па адной кнізе.

    The teacher gave the pupils one book each.

    Word by Word: Teacher gave to-pupils each one book.

  4. Заходзьце па адным.

    Come in one at a time.

    Word by Word: Come-in by one.

  5. Яны ішлі па двое.

    They walked in twos.

    Word by Word: They walked by two(coll.).

  6. У кожнай групе было па пяць чалавек.

    Each group had five people.

    Word by Word: In each group was each five of-people.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out па when each person gets the amount.

    Дзеці атрымалі два яблыкі.
    Дзеці атрымалі па два яблыкі.

    The intended meaning is that each child got two apples. Without па, the sentence says the children got only two apples in total.

  • Using the genitive singular after два.

    Дзеці атрымалі па два яблыка.
    Дзеці атрымалі па два яблыкі.

    After два, тры and чатыры Belarusian uses the nominative plural: два яблыкі. Па does not change that.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

па + Number for EachLevel 5Distributive Па with Numbers

Learn This First

Distributive па needs па and counting.

Words in This Pattern

паадзін