Collective Numerals
Двое, трое, чацвёра, пяцёра count a group, and the noun goes into the genitive plural: двое дзяцей (two children), трое сяброў (three friends), двое сутак (two days and nights).
How It Works
The forms. The collective numerals are двое, трое, чацвёра, пяцёра, шасцёра, сямёра, васьмёра, дзявяцера, дзясяцера. The first four are the ones you will use most.
When to use them:
- Always with plural-only nouns: двое сутак (two days), двое нажніц (two pairs of scissors), трое варот (three gates).
- Always with personal pronouns: Нас было трое. (There were three of us.) Двое з іх прыйшлі. (Two of them came.)
- Often with males, mixed groups of people, children and young animals: двое дзяцей, трое сяброў, пяцёра кацянят. The ordinary numbers are also correct here: тры сябры.
- Not for women and girls: дзве жанчыны, тры сяброўкі. Not for ordinary objects: два сталы.
Case. In the nominative, and in the accusative with things, the noun is in the genitive plural: двое дзяцей. In other cases the numeral changes like a plural adjective and the noun takes the same case: з дваімі дзецьмі, у траіх сяброў. The forms are дваіх, дваім, дваімі; траіх, траім, траімі; чацвярых, чацвярым, чацвярымі.
With a collective numeral as the subject, the verb can be plural or neuter singular: прыйшлі трое сяброў or прыйшло трое сяброў (agreement with quantities).
Related adverbs say how many people did something together: Мы пайшлі ўтраіх. (The three of us went.)
Examples (6)
- У нас двое дзяцей.
We have two children.
Word by Word: At us two children.
- Нас было трое.
There were three of us.
Word by Word: Of-us was three.
- Я прыехаў на трое сутак.
I came for three days.
Word by Word: I came for three days-and-nights.
Суткі has only a plural form, so it needs a collective numeral.
- Да нас прыйшлі чацвёра сяброў.
Four friends came to see us.
Word by Word: To us came four friends.
- Яна купіла двое нажніц.
She bought two pairs of scissors.
Word by Word: She bought two scissors.
- Бабуля жыве з дваімі ўнукамі.
Grandma lives with her two grandchildren.
Word by Word: Grandma lives with two grandsons.
After з, both the numeral and the noun are instrumental.
Common Mistakes
Using a collective numeral for women.
У пакоі было двое жанчын.У пакоі былі дзве жанчыны.Collective numerals are not used for groups of women. Use дзве with the nominative plural.
Using a collective numeral for ordinary objects.
На кухні стаяць двое сталоў.На кухні стаяць два сталы.Стол has a singular, so it is counted with the ordinary number два.
Putting the noun in the nominative after двое.
У нас двое дзеці.У нас двое дзяцей.After двое, трое and чацвёра, the noun goes into the genitive plural.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Collective numerals follow the counting rules.
Related Patterns
- два / тры / чатыры + Nominative PluralTwo to Four with the Nominative Plural
The ordinary way to count two to four.
Level 2 - Genitive Plural Endings
The genitive plural endings after двое and трое.
Level 2 - абодва / абедзвеBoth with Абодва and Абедзве
Another numeral that counts a pair as a group.
Level 4 - Agreement with Numbers and Quantities
How the verb agrees with a counted subject.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice Collective Numerals in Bubblegum
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