Agreement After Two to Four
Two, three and four use a special counted-noun pattern.
How It Works
Modifiers also follow the counting construction: dva dobra prijatelja, tri velika sela and dvije nove knjige. These are not ordinary masculine nominative plurals.
The masculine and neuter noun form often resembles genitive singular; the whole construction is commonly described as a special counting or paucal pattern. Do not infer ordinary singular agreement from its appearance.
Learn the basic nominative/accusative phrase before tackling formal numeral declension. The same count can appear as subject or object, while a preposition may introduce additional choices.
Examples (3)
- Imam dva dobra prijatelja.
I have two good friends.
The masculine counted phrase uses dobra prijatelja.
- Kupila sam tri nove knjige.
I bought three new books.
The female speaker uses the feminine counted phrase nove knjige.
- Vidimo četiri mala sela.
We see four small villages.
The neuter phrase has mala sela.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Low-numeral expressions require the special noun and modifier agreement of the counted phrase.