двама/трима
Numbers for Groups of Men
When you count men, use двама, трима, четирима, петима: двама братя, петима приятели. For women, children and things, use the ordinary numbers: две сестри, три деца.
How It Works
1. The forms. 2 двама, 3 трима, 4 четирима, 5 петима, 6 шестима, 7 седмина, 8 осмина, 9 деветима, 10 десетима. Related words: колцина (how many people) and няколцина (a few people).
2. What they count. Masculine nouns for people: двама братя (two brothers), трима студенти (three students), четирима лекари (four doctors), двама бащи (two fathers). The noun is always in the ordinary plural.
3. What they do not count. Feminine nouns, neuter nouns and things take the ordinary numerals: две сестри (two sisters), три деца (three children), два стола (two chairs). See два and две and numbers three to ten. Above ten, use the ordinary numerals for men as well: единайсет играчи (eleven players); see numbers above ten. For people in general, души is common: пет души (five people).
4. With the article. They take -та: двамата, тримата (see articles on numbers). Двамата братя живеят в Лондон. (The two brothers live in London.) И двамата means "both": И двамата сме от Пловдив. (We are both from Plovdiv.)
Tip: In casual speech you may hear два студента, but the standard language treats this as an error. Say двама студенти.
Examples (6)
- Имам двама братя и една сестра.
I have two brothers and one sister.
Братя takes двама; сестра takes the ordinary една.
- Трима студенти закъсняха за изпита.
Three students were late for the exam.
- В болницата работят петима лекари.
Five doctors work at the hospital.
- Двамата братя живеят в Лондон.
The two brothers live in London.
With the article, двама becomes двамата.
- И двамата сме от Пловдив.
We are both from Plovdiv.
- Колцина дойдоха на срещата?
How many people came to the meeting?
Колцина asks how many people.
Common Mistakes
Using the count form for men.
Четири ученика отсъстваха.Четирима ученици отсъстваха.Nouns for men take четирима and the ordinary plural. The count form ученика is only for things and animals.
Using the numerals for men with feminine nouns.
Имам двама сестри.Имам две сестри.Двама, трима and the others count masculine nouns for people only. Сестра is feminine, so use две.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Numbers for groups of men build on the ordinary numbers.
Related Patterns
- The Count Form
The count form is for things; nouns for men take these numerals and the plural instead.
Level 2 - два/двеThe Number Two
The ordinary forms of two, used for things and feminine or neuter nouns.
Level 1 - Numbers Above Ten
Above ten, men are counted with the ordinary numerals.
Level 2 - Articles on Numbers
How двама becomes двамата with the article.
Level 4 - Plural of Nouns in -инPlurals of Nouns in -ин
Nationality words like българи are counted with двама, трима and so on.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice двама/трима in Bubblegum
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