Numbers in Compound Adjectives

Level 5Sounds Like skladanyâ slovy z líčébníkamí

A number joins a root in its genitive form, written as one word: двухпавярховы (two-story), пяцігадовы (five-year).

How It Works

Belarusian builds many adjectives and nouns from a number plus another root. The number usually appears in its genitive form:

  • двух- (from два): двухпавярховы (two-story), двухмоўны (bilingual)
  • трох-: трохразовы (three-time), трохпакаёвы (three-room)
  • чатырох-: чатырохразовы (four-time)
  • пяці-, шасці-, сямі-, васьмі-, дзесяці-: пяцігадовы (five-year), дзесяціпрацэнтны (ten-percent)
  • дванаццаці-, дваццаці-, сарака-, ста-: дванаццаціпавярховы (twelve-story), стагадовы (hundred-year-old)

One. For one, use адна-: аднапакаёвая кватэра (a one-room apartment), аднаразовы (single-use). Шмат- (many) works the same way: шматпавярховы (multi-story).

Spelling. Write the compound as one word: двухпавярховы, not двух павярховы. When you write the number as a digit, add a hyphen: 5-павярховы, 1000-гадовы.

These are ordinary adjectives, so they agree with their noun like any other adjective: у двухпавярховым доме, трохразовае харчаванне.

Examples (6)

  1. Мы жывём у двухпавярховым доме.

    We live in a two-story house.

    Word by Word: We live in two-story house.

  2. Урад прыняў пяцігадовы план.

    The government adopted a five-year plan.

    Word by Word: Government adopted five-year plan.

  3. У лагеры трохразовае харчаванне.

    The camp serves three meals a day.

    Word by Word: In camp three-time feeding.

  4. Гэта двухмоўны слоўнік.

    This is a bilingual dictionary.

    Word by Word: This two-language dictionary.

  5. Каля царквы расце стагадовы дуб.

    A hundred-year-old oak grows by the church.

    Word by Word: Near church grows hundred-year oak.

  6. Побач пабудавалі 9-павярховы дом.

    A nine-story building went up nearby.

    Word by Word: Nearby they-built 9-story house.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative form of the number.

    двапавярховы дом
    двухпавярховы дом

    The number part is genitive: двух-, not два-.

  • Writing the compound as two words.

    пяці гадовы план
    пяцігадовы план

    A compound with a number is one word.

  • Leaving out the hyphen after a digit.

    5 гадовы хлопчык
    5-гадовы хлопчык

    When the number is a digit, join it to the rest of the word with a hyphen.

How It Connects

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

Numbers in Compound AdjectivesLevel 5

Learn This First

Compound adjectives need numeral declension.

Words in This Pattern

дватрычатырыпяць