trzy / cztery

The numbers 2, 3, and 4 are known as 'paucal' numbers. They behave like adjectives rather than quantifiers, meaning they usually take the nominative plural.

1. Non-Masculine Personal Nouns
For feminine, neuter, and non-personal masculine nouns (animals/objects), use:

• dwa (masculine/neuter) / dwie (feminine)
• trzy, cztery (these non-masculine-personal genders)

These are followed by the nominative plural. Example: trzy koty (three cats), cztery okna (four windows).

2. Masculine Personal Nouns (Groups of Men)
When counting men, you have two choices in the nominative:

• Formal/Written: dwaj, trzej, czterej + nominative plural (e.g., trzej panowie (three gentlemen)). This takes a plural verb.
• Standard/Common: dwóch, trzech, czterech + genitive plural (e.g., trzech panów (three gentlemen)). This takes a singular neuter verb: Trzech panów było...

3. Collective Numerals
For children, young animals (specifically those whose plural forms end in -ęta, like szczenięta → troje szczeniąt), mixed-gender groups (e.g., a brother and two sisters), and some plural-only nouns (like drzwi), you use collective numerals: dwoje, troje, czworo. In the nominative and accusative, these take the genitive and, when acting as the subject, a singular neuter verb: Troje dzieci bawiło się. (Three children were playing.) In the Dative and Locative cases, the numeral and noun decline together (e.g., dwojgu dzieciom (to two children)). In the Genitive, both words are genitive. In the Instrumental, the numeral is instrumental but the noun stays genitive (e.g., z dwojgiem dzieci (with two children), not z dwojgiem dziećmi). Note that for many plural-only nouns, especially clothing and two-part tools (like spodnie, okulary, nożyczki), it is preferred and more natural to use the word para (pair) with standard numerals instead (e.g., trzy pary nożyczek (three pairs of scissors)).

4. Verb Agreement and Cases
When used as a subject, 2, 3, and 4 (non-personal) take a plural verb. In the accusative (direct object), masculine personal nouns must use the dwóch/trzech/czterech forms: Widzę trzech kolegów. (I see three male colleagues.) For all other genders (feminine, neuter, and non-personal masculine), the accusative form of the number and noun is identical to the nominative (e.g., Widzę trzy koty (I see three cats)). In oblique cases (Genitive, Dative, Instrumental, Locative), the numbers 2, 3, and 4 simply decline and agree with the noun's case (e.g., z trzema kotami (with three cats)).

5. Compound Numbers
In numbers like 23 or 54, the last digit determines the grammar. If it ends in 2, 3, or 4, it follows these rules. Exceptions: Numbers 12, 13, and 14 follow the '5+ rule' (Genitive). For compound numbers ending in 1 (like 21 or 31), they also take the genitive plural, and the word jeden remains invariable regardless of the noun's gender (e.g., dwadzieścia jeden kobiet (twenty-one women)).

6. Counting Years
The word for "years" (rok) is highly irregular. With 2, 3, and 4 (and compound numbers ending in them, like 22 or 34), use lata (nominative plural). For 5 and above, as well as numbers ending in 1 (like 21), use lat (genitive plural). Example: trzy lata (three years), but pięć lat (five years).