по + Number

Distributing a Number Each

Level 3Sounds Like po + broǰ za raspodelu

To say that people receive a certain amount each or apiece, place the preposition по directly before the number or quantified item: по две јабуке (two apples each).

How It Works

The distributive preposition по is the primary way in Serbian to divide a quantity among individuals, occasions, or units.

1. Syntax and Role in the Sentence
Distributive по attaches directly to the item or quantity being distributed—including direct objects, measure phrases, and subjects of both transitive and intransitive verbs—not to the recipients. The recipient is usually placed in the dative case or introduced with сваки:

  • Correct: Сваком ученику поклонио је по једну књигу. (He gifted one book to each student.)
  • As a subject: По три ученика су решавала задатак у свакој групи. (Three students in each group were solving the problem.)
  • Avoid attaching по directly to the recipient: do not say *Поклонио је књиге по једном ученику.

2. Case and Agreement Patterns

  • With numeral 1: The numeral behaves as an adjective agreeing in gender and case. As a subject, it stays in the nominative (номинатив): У свакој клупи седи по један ученик (M), по једна девојчица (F). As a direct object, it takes the accusative, observing animate/inanimate rules (акузатив живог): Позвали смо по једног ученика (M animate), Узели смо по један сендвич (M inanimate), по једну јабуку (F), по једно дете (N).
  • With numerals 2–4: Follows paucal agreement (два, три, четири + paucal form): по два стола, по три књиге.
  • With numerals 5 and above: The numeral triggers the genitive plural (пет и више) on the noun: по пет минута, по десет динара.
  • With collective numerals and numeral nouns: When distributing mixed groups or young beings, collective numerals (двоје, троје, четворо) are used with neuter singular agreement: Добили су по двоје деце; У просторију је ушло по троје људи. For specifically male groups, numeral nouns in -ица (двојица, тројица) are used; predicates with these nouns can take neuter plural / paucal agreement (ушла су) or semantic masculine plural agreement (ушли су): У сваку просторију ушла су (или: ушли су) по тројица мушкараца.
  • Implied 'One Each': If по is placed directly before a singular countable noun without an overt numeral, it inherently expresses 'one apiece': Дајте им по јабуку (accusative direct object) or Свакоме по чашица (nominative in an elliptical sentence).

3. Prices, Dosages, and Rates
По is also used to indicate unit prices or amounts distributed per occasion or dose:

  • Карте су по три хиљаде динара. (Tickets are three thousand dinars each.)
  • Узимајте по две капсуле три пута дневно. (Take two capsules each time, three times a day.)
  • Вежбамо по два сата сваког дана. (We exercise for two hours each day.)

4. Distributive 'по' vs. Other Patterns

  • по vs. сваки: Сваки identifies the recipient ('every student'), while по attaches to the distributed amount ('two books each'). They frequently appear together: Сваки студент је добио по две књиге.
  • Sequential counting: To express 'one by one' or 'two by two' in motion, use reduplication with по: један по један, два по два.

Examples (4)

  1. Деца су добила по две јабуке.

    The children got two apples each.

    Word by Word: Children are got po two apples.

    The preposition 'по' specifies that the number two applies individually to each child, not as a collective sum.

  2. Сваки ученик треба да прочита по једну књигу.

    Each student needs to read one book apiece.

    Word by Word: Each student needs that reads po one book.

    With feminine objects and the numeral 'one', 'по' is followed by the feminine accusative form 'једну'.

  3. Купили смо улазнице по пет стотина динара.

    We bought tickets at five hundred dinars each.

    Word by Word: Bought are tickets po five hundreds dinars.

    Shows the rate/unit pricing function of 'по' before a numeral of five or higher.

  4. Попили смо по кафу у центру града.

    We each had a coffee in the city center.

    Word by Word: Drank are po coffee in center of city.

    When a singular countable noun in the accusative follows 'по' without a numeral, it implies 'one each'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative instead of the accusative after 'по' when the phrase serves as a direct object.

    Добили смо по једна јабука.
    Добили смо по једну јабуку.

    When the distributive phrase functions as the direct object of a transitive verb, the numeral 'један' and the accompanying noun must take the accusative case ('по једну јабуку'). The nominative is reserved for subject positions.

  • Translating the English word 'each' literally by tacking 'сваки' onto the end of the sentence.

    Ученици су узели две оловке сваки.
    Ученици су узели по две оловке.

    Serbian does not place 'сваки' at the end of a clause to mean 'apiece'. Instead, use the distributive preposition 'по' directly before the numeral.

How It Connects

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по + NumberLevel 3Distributing a Number Each

Learn This First

To express distribution using 'по' (e.g., 'по два јабуке', 'по пет евра'), you need to know how Serbian numerals govern nouns (numbers 2–4 with paucal forms, and 5 and above with the genitive plural).

Words in This Pattern

по