над / околу / до + Number
Approximate Quantities
Put a word before the number: над сто луѓе (over a hundred people), околу пет часот (at about five o'clock), до илјада денари (up to a thousand denars).
How It Works
Three short prepositions make a number approximate. Each goes directly before the number:
- над — over, more than: над сто луѓе (over a hundred people), над триесет степени (over thirty degrees)
- околу — about, around: околу пет часот (at about five o'clock), околу три часа (about three hours)
- до — up to, at most: до илјада денари (up to a thousand denars), деца до шест години (children up to six years old)
The rest of the phrase does not change. Masculine nouns naming things keep their count form after the number (see бројна множина: два дена; три часа): околу пет дена, над десет листа.
Clock time or length of time: with околу, часот gives a time on the clock and часа gives a length of time:
- Ќе дојдам околу пет часот. — I will come at about five o'clock. (See колку е часот.)
- Патувањето трае околу пет часа. — The trip takes about five hours.
Над or повеќе од: повеќе од сто also means more than a hundred and is just as common. Use one or the other, not both together. The opposite is под (under) or помалку од (less than): под нула (below zero).
These words also have their everyday meanings of place: над above, околу around and до next to or as far as (see пред; зад; над; под; до and од ... до). With a number they measure amounts instead. For round numbers such as десетина (about ten), see десетина; стотина.
Examples (6)
- На концертот имаше над сто луѓе.
There were over a hundred people at the concert.
Word by Word: At concert-the there-was over hundred people.
- Ќе дојдам околу пет часот.
I will come at about five o'clock.
Word by Word: Will I-come around five hour-the.
- Патувањето трае околу три часа.
The trip takes about three hours.
Word by Word: Trip-the lasts around three hours.
Часа is the count form, used for a length of time.
- Билетите чинат до илјада денари.
The tickets cost up to a thousand denars.
Word by Word: Tickets-the cost up-to thousand denars.
- Децата до шест години влегуваат бесплатно.
Children up to six years old get in free.
Word by Word: Children-the up-to six years enter free.
- Денес е над триесет степени.
It is over thirty degrees today.
Word by Word: Today is over thirty degrees.
Common Mistakes
Mixing над with повеќе од.
На концертот имаше над од сто луѓе.На концертот имаше над сто луѓе.Над already means "more than", so it goes straight before the number. You can also say повеќе од сто луѓе, but not both at once.
Using the ordinary plural of a masculine noun after the number.
Останавме околу пет денови.Останавме околу пет дена.Околу does not change the rule: after a number, masculine nouns for things take the count form, so пет дена.
Using часа when you mean a time on the clock.
Ќе дојдам околу пет часа.Ќе дојдам околу пет часот.Пет часа is a length of time (five hours). For the time of day, use часот: околу пет часот, at about five o'clock.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Approximate quantities combine numbers and околу.
Related Patterns
- колку е часотTelling the Time
Околу with часот gives an approximate clock time: околу пет часот.
Level 2 - десетина / стотинаApproximate Numbers
Десетина and стотина are another way to say about ten and about a hundred.
Level 4 - Numbers Above Ten
These words go before the larger numbers covered there.
Level 2 - пред / зад / над / под / доPositions in Space
Над and до also have place meanings: above and next to.
Level 2 - од ... доFrom One Point to Another
Од ... до gives both ends of a range: од сто до двесте денари.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice над / околу / до + Number in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Macedonian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
