Articles on Numbers
To say the two, the three and so on, add the article to the number: двата града, двете жени, тримата братя, петте книги.
How It Works
1. Why the number takes the article. In Bulgarian the article goes on the first word of a noun phrase. When a number comes first, it carries the article: два града (two cities) becomes двата града (the two cities).
2. The forms.
- един, една, едно: единият (subject) or единия, едната, едното, often in единият ..., другият ... (the one ..., the other ...)
- два (masculine): двата, as in двата града
- две (feminine and neuter): двете, as in двете жени, двете деца
- most other numbers add -те: трите, четирите, петте, десетте, двайсетте, стоте
- numbers for groups of men add -та: двамата, тримата, петимата
- special forms: двестата, тристата (the 200, the 300), хилядата (the thousand)
3. The noun after the number. The noun does not change. A masculine noun that does not name a person keeps its count form: трите стола (the three chairs), петте града (the five cities). Feminine and neuter nouns stay in the plural: трите книги, петте деца.
4. Longer numbers. In a compound number, only the last word takes the article: двайсет и петте ученици (the twenty-five students).
5. Both and all. И before a numeral with the article means both or all: и двете ми сестри (both my sisters), и тримата (all three of them), и петте книги (all five books).
6. Digits. With figures, the article is joined with a hyphen: 2-та, 2-те, 5-те, 90-те години (the nineties).
Examples (6)
- Двата града са близо един до друг.
The two cities are close to each other.
Двата is for masculine nouns; града is the count form.
- Двете ми сестри живеят в София.
My two sisters live in Sofia.
The article sits on двете, and the short possessive ми follows it.
- Тримата братя отвориха ресторант.
The three brothers opened a restaurant.
- Изпих и трите кафета.
I drank all three coffees.
И before a numeral with the article means both or all.
- Кои са петте най-големи града в България?
Which are the five biggest cities in Bulgaria?
- През деветдесетте години живяхме в Русе.
In the nineties we lived in Ruse.
Common Mistakes
Using двете with a masculine noun.
Двете града са близо един до друг.Двата града са близо един до друг.Град is masculine, so the number is два and its article form is двата. Двете is only for feminine and neuter nouns.
Putting the article on the first part of a compound number.
Двайсетте и пет ученици отидоха на екскурзия.Двайсет и петте ученици отидоха на екскурзия.In a compound number only the last word takes the article.
Adding -те to двеста or триста.
Двестате места бяха заети.Двестата места бяха заети.Двеста and триста take -та: двестата, тристата.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Articles on numbers need numerals and plural articles.
- двама/тримаNumbers for Groups of Men
Тримата uses the male-group numbers.
Level 2 - -те/-таThe Plural Articles -те and -та
It uses plural articles.
Level 1 - Numbers Above Ten
Numbers above ten supply compound definite numbers such as двайсет и петте.
Level 2 - The Count Form
The count form stays on masculine nouns after definite numbers: трите стола.
Level 2 - The Article on the First Word
The first word of a numbered noun phrase carries the article.
Level 2 - Full Versus Short Masculine Article
The full and short article rule applies to единият and единия.
Level 2
Related Patterns
Practice Articles on Numbers in Bubblegum
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