Agreement With Words Like väčšina

Level 6

After väčšina, polovica or skupina, the verb is singular and feminine: Väčšina ľudí súhlasila. After rad, it is singular and masculine: Rad odborníkov upozornil.

How It Works

The amount noun is the subject. In väčšina ľudí (most people), the word ľudí is a genitive that depends on väčšina. So the verb agrees with väčšina, which is a feminine singular noun. In the past tense this means the -la form: Väčšina ľudí súhlasila.

Match the gender of the amount noun.

  • Feminine: väčšina, menšina, polovica, tretina, skupina, kopa → Polovica študentov neprišla.
  • Masculine: rad, počet, zvyšok → Rad odborníkov upozornil na riziká.
  • Neuter: množstvo → Množstvo ľudí čakalo pred obchodom.

A predicate adjective usually agrees the same way: Väčšina kurzov je vhodná aj pre začiatočníkov. The official language advice service also accepts Väčšina kurzov je vhodných, where the adjective matches kurzov. The verb je stays singular either way.

Careful style and everyday speech. Because the meaning is plural, speakers sometimes use a plural verb: Väčšina ľudí súhlasili. This agreement by meaning is common in speech, but language guides recommend the singular for careful, written and formal Slovak, so use súhlasila in essays, reports and news.

Numbers work differently. After päť and higher, and after niekoľko, veľa, málo, the verb is in the neuter singular: Päť ľudí prišlo. Veľa ľudí súhlasilo. See five and more.

Examples (6)

  1. Väčšina ľudí súhlasila s návrhom.

    Most people agreed with the proposal.

    Word by Word: Majority of-people agreed(fem.sg) with proposal.

  2. Polovica študentov neprišla na prednášku.

    Half of the students did not come to the lecture.

    Word by Word: Half of-students not-came(fem.sg) to lecture.

  3. Rad odborníkov upozornil na možné riziká.

    A number of experts warned of possible risks.

    Word by Word: Number of-experts warned(masc.sg) of possible risks.

    Rad is masculine, so the verb is upozornil.

  4. Väčšina kurzov je vhodná aj pre začiatočníkov.

    Most of the courses are suitable for beginners too.

    Word by Word: Majority of-courses is suitable(fem.sg) also for beginners.

    The adjective agrees with väčšina. Je vhodných, matching kurzov, is also correct.

  5. Skupina turistov sa stratila v hmle.

    A group of hikers got lost in the fog.

    Word by Word: Group of-hikers itself lost(fem.sg) in fog.

  6. Množstvo ľudí čakalo pred obchodom už od rána.

    A lot of people had been waiting in front of the shop since the morning.

    Word by Word: Lot of-people waited(neut.sg) in-front-of shop already since morning.

    Množstvo is neuter, so the verb is čakalo.

Common Mistakes

  • Making the verb masculine to match the people instead of väčšina.

    Väčšina študentov prišiel včas.
    Väčšina študentov prišla včas.

    The subject is väčšina, a feminine noun, so a singular verb must be feminine: prišla.

  • Using the neuter form that belongs after numbers like päť.

    Polovica ľudí nesúhlasilo.
    Polovica ľudí nesúhlasila.

    The neuter -lo is used after päť, niekoľko or veľa. Polovica is feminine, so the verb is nesúhlasila.

  • Using a feminine verb after the masculine noun rad.

    Rad odborníkov upozornila na riziká.
    Rad odborníkov upozornil na riziká.

    Rad (a number of) is masculine, so the singular verb is upozornil.

How It Connects

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Agreement With Words Like väčšinaLevel 6

Learn This First

Before Agreement With Words Like väčšina, learn Agreement With Two Subjects. Agreement with collective expressions builds on agreement with two subjects.

Words in This Pattern

väčšinapolovicaskupina