Russian numbers

Mastering Russian Numbers: A Comprehensive Guide for Learners

Здравствуйте (hello) and welcome to the world of Russian numbers!

As a learner of the Russian language, you’ve likely realized that numbers play a crucial role in everyday communication. Whether you’re shopping at a market, setting up a meeting time, or discussing dates, a solid grasp of Russian numbers is essential.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about Russian numbers, from the basics of cardinal numbers to more advanced concepts like ordinal numbers and counting objects.

By the end, you’ll be able to:

• Count from 1 to 1,000,000 in Russian
• Use the correct forms of numbers in different grammatical cases
• Tell time, give dates, and express age
• Confidently use numbers in a variety of real-life situations

We’ll explore each topic in-depth, with plenty of examples, pronunciation tips, and cultural notes along the way. So let’s dive in and start mastering those Russian numbers!

Cardinal Numbers (1-10)

Let’s start with the foundation: the first ten cardinal numbers in Russian.

As you can see, the numbers 1-4 have unique forms, while 5-10 follow a more regular pattern. Practice these out loud to get comfortable with their pronunciation.

Gender Agreement (1-4)

In Russian, the numbers один (1), два (2), три (3), and четыре (4) have different forms depending on the gender of the noun they’re describing.

Один (1) has a masculine form (один), a feminine form (одна), and a neuter form (одно).

Два (2) has a masculine/neuter form (два) and a feminine form (две).

Три (3) and четыре (4) have the same form for all genders.

Here are some examples:

• Один кот (ah-DEEN kot) – One cat (masculine)
• Одна кошка (ahd-NAH kohsh-kah) – One cat (feminine)
• Одно окно (ahd-NOH ahk-NOH) – One window (neuter)
• Два стола (dvah stah-LAH) – Two tables (masculine)
• Две книги (dvyeh KNEE-gee) – Two books (feminine)
• Три дома (tree DOH-mah) – Three houses
• Четыре машины (chih-TIH-reh mah-SHIH-nih) – Four cars

Practice using these numbers with nouns of different genders to get a feel for how they change.

In the next section, we’ll explore numbers 11-100, where you’ll see some patterns emerge that make learning larger numbers much easier. Get ready to level up your counting skills!

Cardinal Numbers (11-100)

Now that you’ve mastered the first ten numbers, let’s expand your range to 100. The good news is that Russian numbers follow a logical pattern that makes learning them much easier.

Numbers 11-19

To form numbers 11–19, simply add “-надцать” (-nadtsat’) to the end of the corresponding single-digit number:

Tens (20, 30, 40…)

Tens are formed by adding specific endings to the corresponding single-digit number (with some variations):

Compound Numbers (21, 35, 47…)

To form compound numbers, simply say the tens place followed by the ones place. Here are a few examples:

• 24 = двадцать четыре (DVAH-tsat’ chih-TIH-reh)
• 38 = тридцать восемь (TREE-tsat’ VOH-seem’)
• 51 = пятьдесят один (pee-dee-SYAT ah-DEEN)
• 66 = шестьдесят шесть (shees-dee-SYAT shest)
• 93 = девяносто три (dee-vee-NOH-stuh tree)

Practice counting by tens and then adding single-digit numbers to reinforce these patterns. With these rules, you can now confidently count from 1 to 99 in Russian!

In the next section, we’ll tackle larger numbers like hundreds, thousands, and beyond. Get ready to expand your counting prowess even further!

Cardinal Numbers (100+)

You’ve made it to the big leagues! Let’s learn how to form numbers in the hundreds, thousands, and beyond.

Hundreds

Forming hundreds in Russian is straightforward. Simply say the number of hundreds followed by сто (stoh), which means “hundred”:

To form numbers like 150, 320, or 780, simply combine the hundreds with the tens and ones:

• 150 = сто пятьдесят (stoh peet-dee-SYAT)
• 320 = триста двадцать (TREE-stuh DVAH-tsat’)
• 780 = семьсот восемьдесят (syem-SOT vah-seem-dee-SYAT)

Thousands and Millions

Forming thousands and millions follows the same logic as hundreds. Use the number of thousands or millions followed by:

• тысяча (TIH-see-chuh) for “thousand”
• миллион (mee-lee-OHN) for “million”

For numbers like 1,500 or 3,800,000, combine the thousands or millions with the hundreds, tens, and ones:

• 1,500 = тысяча пятьсот (TIH-see-chuh peet-SOT)
• 3,800,000 = три миллиона восемьсот тысяч (tree mee-lee-OH-nuh vah-seem-SOT TIH-seech)

Practice reading and saying large numbers to get comfortable with their pronunciation and stress patterns. Congratulations! You can now count to a million in Russian!

In the next section, we’ll explore ordinal numbers, which are used to express order or rank. Get ready to level up your number skills even further!

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers are used to express the order or position of something, such as “first,” “second,” or “third.” In Russian, ordinal numbers agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case.

To form ordinal numbers, you add specific endings to the cardinal number. The typical endings are:

• Masculine: -ый / -ой
• Feminine: -ая / -яя
• Neuter: -ое / -ее
• Plural: -ые / -ие

First Ten Ordinal Numbers

Agreement with Nouns

Ordinal numbers must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. For example:

• первый этаж (PYEHR-viy eh-TAHSH) – first floor (masculine, nominative)
• на второй странице (nuh ftah-ROY strah-NEE-tseh) – on the second page (feminine, prepositional)
• в третьем окне (f TRYET’-yem ahk-NYEH) – in the third window (neuter, prepositional)
• пятые классы (PYAH-tih-ye KLAH-sih) – fifth grades (plural, nominative)

Common Phrases

Ordinal numbers are often used in common phrases:

• первый раз (PYEHR-viy rahs) – the first time
• во-первых (vah-PYEHR-vih) – firstly, first of all
• второй раз (ftah-ROY rahs) – the second time
• во-вторых (vah-ftah-RIHH) – secondly

Practice using ordinal numbers in different cases and with various nouns to master their agreement rules.

You’re now equipped to use ordinal numbers in Russian! In the next section, we’ll explore how to use cardinal numbers with nouns and count objects. Get ready to put your number skills to practical use!

Counting Objects

When counting objects in Russian, the noun being counted takes on a different case depending on the number preceding it. This may seem daunting at first, but with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of it in no time!

Numbers Ending in 1 (except 11)

For numbers ending in 1 (except 11), use the nominative singular form of the noun:

• 1 книга (ah-DEEN KNEE-guh) – 1 book
• 21 стол (DVAH-tsuht’ ah-DEEN stohl) – 21 tables
• 51 ручка (pee-dee-SYAT ah-DEEN ROOCH-kuh) – 51 pens

Numbers Ending in 2, 3, 4 (except 12, 13, 14)

For numbers ending in 2, 3, or 4 (except 12, 13, and 14), use the genitive singular form of the noun:

• 2 кошки (dvyeh KOSH-kee) – 2 cats
• 23 дома (DVAH-tsuht’ tree DOH-muh) – 23 houses
• 34 окна (TREE-tsuht’ chih-TIH-reh ahk-NAH) – 34 windows

Numbers Ending in 5-20, 25-30, 35-40, etc.

For numbers ending in 5-20, 25-30, 35-40, and so on, use the genitive plural form of the noun:

• 5 машин (pyaht’ mah-SHEEN) – 5 cars
• 12 книг (dveh-NAHT-tsuht’ kneek) – 12 books
• 30 столов (TREE-tsuht’ stah-LOHF) – 30 tables

Exceptions and Irregularities

Some nouns have irregular plural forms or follow unique patterns when counted. For example:

• 1 человек (ah-DEEN cheh-lah-VYEHK) – 1 person
• 2 человека (dvah cheh-lah-VYEH-kuh) – 2 people
• 5 человек (pyaht’ cheh-lah-VYEHK) – 5 people

Other common irregular nouns include: друг (friend), ребёнок (child), and лист (sheet of paper).

Practice Counting Objects

Try counting various objects around you to practice using the correct case forms:

• Count the pens on your desk.
• Count the chairs in your room.
• Count the cars on the street.

With time and repetition, using the appropriate case when counting objects will become second nature!

Numbers in Special Uses

Now that you’ve mastered the basics of Russian numbers, let’s explore some special uses you’ll encounter in everyday situations.

Telling Time

To tell time in Russian, use ordinal numbers for the hours and cardinal numbers for the minutes. The word час (chas) is used for “hour,” and its form changes depending on the number preceding it. Here are some examples:

• 1:00 – один час (ah-DEEN chas) – one o’clock
• 2:15 – два часа пятнадцать минут (dvah chuh-SAH peet-NAHT-suht’ mee-NOOT) – quarter past two
• 5:30 – пять часов тридцать минут (pyaht’ chuh-SOHF TREE-tsat’ mee-NOOT) – half past five
• 11:45 – одиннадцать часов сорок пять минут (ah-DEEN-nuh-tsuht’ chuh-SOHF SOH-ruhk pyaht’ mee-NOOT) – quarter to twelve

Giving Dates

When giving dates in Russian, use ordinal numbers for the day and cardinal numbers for the year. The month names are as follows:

Examples:

• 7 мая 1995 года
• 23 февраля 2021 года

Expressing Age

To express age in Russian, use the word год (goht) for “year,” which changes form depending on the number:

Practice using numbers in these special contexts to gain confidence in real-life situations.