mnohí / niekoľkí / viacerí
Many and Several People
Mnohí (many), niekoľkí (several) and viacerí (several, a number of) behave like adjectives. With nouns for men they end in -í: mnohí ľudia, niekoľkí študenti, viacerí poslanci. The verb is plural: prišli.
How It Works
Adjective-like agreement. Mnohý, niekoľký and viacerý are used mostly in the plural and take the plural adjective endings:
- with nouns for men: mnohí ľudia, niekoľkí študenti, viacerí poslanci
- with all other nouns: mnohé ženy, mnohé štáty, viaceré mestá
The noun stays in the same case, and the verb is plural: Mnohí ľudia s tým súhlasia. Niekoľkí študenti prišli neskoro.
In the other cases. They decline like plural adjectives: v mnohých prípadoch, s viacerými kolegami, mnohým ľuďom. With men, the accusative is the same as the genitive: Poznám tu mnohých ľudí.
Used alone. Mnohí and viacerí can stand alone to mean 'many people' or 'several people': Mnohí si myslia, že ... (Many people think that ...).
Compare mnoho and niekoľko. Mnoho (a lot of) and niekoľko (a few, several) work like numbers from five up: the noun is in the genitive plural and the past-tense verb is neuter singular: Niekoľko študentov prišlo neskoro. Prišlo mnoho ľudí. Both patterns are correct; do not mix them. For the same contrast with numbers, see piati and päť.
Examples (6)
- Mnohí ľudia s tým súhlasia.
Many people agree with that.
Word by Word: Many people with that agree.
- Niekoľkí študenti prišli neskoro.
Several students came late.
Word by Word: Several students came late.
- Viacerí poslanci hlasovali proti zákonu.
Several MPs voted against the law.
Word by Word: Several deputies voted against law.
- Mnohé ženy pracujú na čiastočný úväzok.
Many women work part-time.
Word by Word: Many women work on partial contract.
Ženy is not a noun for men, so the form is mnohé.
- Poznám tu mnohých ľudí.
I know a lot of people here.
Word by Word: I-know here many people(acc).
With men, the accusative equals the genitive: mnohých ľudí.
- Niekoľko študentov prišlo neskoro.
Several students came late.
Word by Word: Several of-students came(n sg) late.
Niekoľko takes the genitive plural and a neuter singular verb.
Common Mistakes
Using the -é form with a noun for men.
Mnohé ľudia s tým nesúhlasia.Mnohí ľudia s tým nesúhlasia.Ľudia is a noun for men (or mixed groups), so the form is mnohí.
Mixing niekoľkí with the genitive.
Niekoľkí študentov prišli neskoro.Niekoľkí študenti prišli neskoro.Niekoľkí agrees with a noun in the nominative: niekoľkí študenti. The genitive goes with niekoľko: niekoľko študentov.
Using a plural verb after niekoľko.
Niekoľko študentov prišli neskoro.Niekoľko študentov prišlo neskoro.After niekoľko or mnoho with the genitive, the past-tense verb is neuter singular: prišlo.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Many and Several People, learn Plural Adjectives for Men and Others. mnohí, niekoľkí and viacerí are the men forms of plural words.
Related Patterns
- Plural of Nouns for Men
The -í form goes with the plural of nouns for men: mnohí ľudia.
Level 3 - Men as Plural Objects
As an object, the form for men is mnohých, the same as the genitive.
Level 3 - päť a viac + Genitive PluralFive and More
Mnoho and niekoľko follow the same rule as päť: genitive plural and a neuter verb.
Level 2 - piati / päť (Men)Five and More with Men
Piati študenti and päť študentov show the same two patterns as niekoľkí and niekoľko.
Level 4 - každý / všetci / celýEvery, All and Whole
Všetci is another adjective-like word with the -í form for men.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice mnohí / niekoľkí / viacerí in Bubblegum
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