Lesson 11 of 24

Numbers, Money and How Many

Numbers arrive, and with them the one rule that changes the ending of every noun in Russian: one takes the nominative, two to four the genitive singular, five and above the genitive plural. Prices, payment and the nine counting nouns come with it — and by the end of the hour you can buy something in Russian from start to finish.

⏱ About 60 minutes 26 phrases 34 exercises

A staircase climbing from «1 один» through «два, три, четыре, пять, шесть, семь, восемь, девять, десять» to «20 двадцать», «100 сто» and «1000 тысяча», under the heading «Числа — numbers».

What you will learn

Count aloud from zero to a thousand, and know which numerals follow a pattern and which four simply have to be learnt whole
Apply the rule the whole lesson turns on: оди́н takes the nominative singular, два / три / четы́ре the genitive singular, пять and everything above the genitive plural
Let the last digit of a compound numeral do the governing — два́дцать оди́н год, два́дцать два го́да, два́дцать пять лет
Give all three counting forms of год, час, рубль, человек, раз, день, месяц, минута and неделя without hesitating
Ask and answer the three «ско́лько» questions: Ско́лько э́то сто́ит? Ско́лько вре́мени? Ско́лько тебе́ лет?
Pay for something in Russian — by card or in cash — and handle the price, the discount and the change

Quick review

Say these aloud before you start. They come from earlier lessons.

Ско́лько у тебя́ де́нег? How much money have you got? Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Ско́лько у тебя́ де́нег?
У меня́ мно́го рабо́ты. I have a lot of work. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: У меня́ мно́го рабо́ты.
Мне ну́жно вре́мя. I need time. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне ну́жно вре́мя.
У нас больша́я семья́. We have a big family. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: У нас больша́я семья́.
Я покупа́ю хлеб и сыр. I am buying bread and cheese. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я покупа́ю хлеб и сыр.
Сейча́с я рабо́таю. I am working now. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Сейча́с я рабо́таю.

Theory

One, two, three — and the two numerals that change shape

Russian has one word for "one" that behaves like an adjective and one word for "two" that has two shapes. Everything from three to ten is a single invariable form. That is less to learn than it looks, and the two irregular ones are the two you will use most often.

оди́н agrees with its noun in gender and number, exactly like большо́й does: оди́н дом, одна́ кни́га, одно́ окно́, одни́ часы́. The noun after it stays in the nominative singular. оди́н also does the job English does with "a" — «Я купи́л одну́ кни́гу» is simply "I bought a book". The plural form одни́ turns up with nouns that have no singular at all: одни́ часы́, одни́ де́ньги.

два is the form used before a masculine or neuter noun, две the one used before a feminine noun: два до́ма, два окна́, две кни́ги, две сестры́. English lost this distinction centuries ago; Russian kept it, and it is worth getting right from the first day, because «два книги» marks a learner out immediately. From три onwards there is one shape for every gender, and that shape never changes.

Оди́н дом, одна́ кни́га, одно́ окно́. one house, one book, one window Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́н дом, одна́ кни́га, одно́ окно́.
Два до́ма и две кни́ги. two houses and two books Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Два до́ма и две кни́ги.
Три часа́ и четы́ре мину́ты. three hours and four minutes Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Три часа́ и четы́ре мину́ты.
У меня́ одна́ сестра́. I have one sister. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: У меня́ одна́ сестра́.

The rule the whole lesson turns on: 1 / 2–4 / 5+

Here is the sentence that justifies the hour. After оди́н the noun is in the nominative singular. After два, три and четы́ре it is in the genitive singular. After пять and every number above it — including every teen — it is in the genitive plural. Three cases, one trigger, and it works for every noun in the language without exception.

It is worth understanding why rather than simply memorising it. Two to four describe a quantity you can still picture as separate items, so the noun keeps a singular form; five and above describe an undifferentiated amount, and the genitive plural is exactly the case that мно́го, ма́ло and нет already govern (Lesson 8). That is why «две кни́ги» and «мно́го книг» feel different to a Russian ear — because grammatically they are.

Two exceptions matter, and both are the kind of thing that stays wrong for years unless it is named early. First, the teens govern the genitive plural even when they end in 1 to 4: оди́ннадцать лет, двена́дцать дней, пятна́дцать рубле́й — the -на́дцать swallows the digit. Second, in a compound numeral only the LAST digit governs: два́дцать оди́н год, два́дцать два го́да, два́дцать пять лет. Everything before that final digit is ignored, however large it is.

Оди́н год, два го́да, пять лет. one year, two years, five years — three forms of one noun Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́н год, два го́да, пять лет.
Две кни́ги и пять книг. two books and five books Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Две кни́ги и пять книг.
Два́дцать два го́да. twenty-two years (the last digit governs) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Два́дцать два го́да.
Оди́ннадцать лет. eleven years (the teens always take the genitive plural) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́ннадцать лет.

Eleven to a thousand: compounds, and four that refuse the pattern

Everything above ten is a compound, and compounds are simply juxtaposed — largest first, with no conjunction and no word for "and". The teens are a digit plus -на́дцать, and the stress sits on that suffix in every one of them except оди́ннадцать and четы́рнадцать, which keep it on the stem. Learn оди́ннадцать properly and you have the shape of all nine.

The tens are a digit plus -дцать or -десят: два́дцать, три́дцать, пятьдеся́т, шестьдеся́т, се́мьдесят, во́семьдесят. Three forms sit right outside the system and have to be taken whole — со́рок (forty), девяно́сто (ninety) and сто (a hundred). There is no *четыредцать and no *девятьдесят, and inventing them is the most common mistake an English speaker makes with Russian numbers.

The hundreds carry on in the same way: две́сти, три́ста and четы́реста keep the stress forward, while пятьсо́т and everything above it throw the stress onto -со́т. ты́сяча is a feminine noun rather than an invariable numeral, so it declines like кни́га and obeys the counting rule itself: одна́ ты́сяча рубле́й, две ты́сячи рубле́й, пять ты́сяч рубле́й. миллио́н is masculine and behaves the same way.

Оди́ннадцать, двена́дцать, трина́дцать, четы́рнадцать. eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́ннадцать, двена́дцать, трина́дцать, четы́рнадцать.
Со́рок, девяно́сто, сто, ты́сяча. forty, ninety, a hundred, a thousand — the four that refuse the pattern Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Со́рок, девяно́сто, сто, ты́сяча.
Две́сти пятьдеся́т семь. two hundred and fifty-seven Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Две́сти пятьдеся́т семь.
Сто три́дцать рубле́й. a hundred and thirty roubles Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Сто три́дцать рубле́й.

Nine nouns with three forms each

Nine nouns come up so often after numbers that Russian effectively asks you to learn three forms of each, not one: год, час, рубль, человек, раз, день, месяц, минута and неделя. No rule predicts the triple. You learn «оди́н год, два го́да, пять лет» as a single unit, the way you learn a telephone number, and you say it out loud until it stops being three separate facts.

год is the wildest of the nine. Its genitive plural for counting and for age is лет, which is not a form of год at all but a different word that Russian has folded into the paradigm; the regular годов survives only in set phrases such as девяностые годы. человек counts on its own stem — оди́н челове́к, два челове́ка, пять челове́к — but means "people" as лю́ди everywhere else, so мно́го люде́й and пять челове́к are both correct and neither can replace the other.

The rest are less dramatic but still need saying aloud. день loses its vowel (дня, дней), рубль loses its soft sign and moves the stress onto the ending (рубля́, рубле́й), неделя inserts a soft sign in the genitive plural (неде́ль), and минута, месяц and раз simply follow their endings. Drill the triples in both directions: «оди́н час — два часа́ — пять часо́в», then back again. Add полтора́ (masculine and neuter) and полторы́ (feminine) for "one and a half"; they behave like two to four — полтора́ часа́, полторы́ неде́ли.

Оди́н рубль, два рубля́, пять рубле́й. one rouble, two roubles, five roubles Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́н рубль, два рубля́, пять рубле́й.
Оди́н челове́к, два челове́ка, пять челове́к. one person, two people, five people Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́н челове́к, два челове́ка, пять челове́к.
Оди́н день, два дня, пять дней. one day, two days, five days Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́н день, два дня, пять дней.
Два ра́за в неде́лю. twice a week Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Два ра́за в неде́лю.

Money: the price, the payment and the change

Numbers earn their keep in one place above all others: paying for things. The question is «Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?» — literally "how much does this cost?" — and сто́ить makes the thing itself the subject, so «Ко́фе сто́ит сто рубле́й» has the same shape as "the coffee costs a hundred roubles". With a plural subject the verb is plural: «Я́блоки сто́ят сто два́дцать рубле́й».

Asking for the total has its own fixed phrase, «Ско́лько с меня́?», literally "how much from me", and the answer mirrors it: «С вас сто пятьдеся́т рубле́й». Neither sentence contains a verb. Payment is an instrumental chunk — «Я плачу́ ка́ртой», «Мо́жно нали́чными?» — and the money that comes back to you is сда́ча: «Вот ва́ша сда́ча». A discount is ски́дка, and you ask for one with «У вас есть ски́дка?».

Three words finish the set. цена́ is the price, and it moves its stress exactly the way вода́ does: цены́, цене́, цено́й in the oblique singular, but це́ну and це́ны pull back onto the stem. кошелё́к is the purse or wallet, and its о disappears the moment an ending appears — кошелька́, кошельку́, кошелько́в. нали́чные is cash: a plural-only adjective used as a noun, so it has no singular to fall back on. One caution to carry away: сто́ит (it costs) and стои́т (it stands) are spelled identically, and only the stress separates them.

Ско́лько э́то сто́ит? How much is this? Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?
С вас сто пятьдеся́т рубле́й. That’s a hundred and fifty roubles. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: С вас сто пятьдеся́т рубле́й.
Я плачу́ ка́ртой. I am paying by card. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я плачу́ ка́ртой.
Вот ва́ша сда́ча — пятьдеся́т рубле́й. Here is your change — fifty roubles. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Вот ва́ша сда́ча — пятьдеся́т рубле́й.

One to twenty: the digits, the teens and the first ten

Form	1–5	6–10	11–15	16–20
1 · 6 · 11 · 16	оди́н	шесть	оди́ннадцать	шестна́дцать
2 · 7 · 12 · 17	два	семь	двена́дцать	семна́дцать
3 · 8 · 13 · 18	три	во́семь	трина́дцать	восемна́дцать
4 · 9 · 14 · 19	четы́ре	де́вять	четы́рнадцать	девятна́дцать
5 · 10 · 15 · 20	пять	де́сять	пятна́дцать	два́дцать

Read down a column and the same five digits come back; read across and the shape repeats. The teens are the digit plus -на́дцать, and the stress sits on that suffix in every one of them except оди́ннадцать and четы́рнадцать, which keep it on the stem. два́дцать closes the last row because it is the first of the tens, not a teen. Monosyllables — два, три, пять, шесть, семь — carry no stress mark at all.

Twenty to a thousand: the tens, the hundreds and the four odd ones

Form	the digit	× 10 → the tens	× 100 → the hundreds
2	два	два́дцать	две́сти
3	три	три́дцать	три́ста
4	четы́ре	со́рок	четы́реста
5	пять	пятьдеся́т	пятьсо́т
6	шесть	шестьдеся́т	шестьсо́т
7	семь	се́мьдесят	семьсо́т
8	во́семь	во́семьдесят	восемьсо́т
9	де́вять	девяно́сто	девятьсо́т
learn these separately	ноль · оди́н · де́сять	со́рок · девяно́сто	сто · ты́сяча · миллио́н

Everything from twenty upwards is a compound of pieces you already have, largest first, with no conjunction and no word for "and": два́дцать пять, сто три́дцать семь, две ты́сячи два́дцать шесть. Four forms refuse the pattern and must be learnt whole — со́рок (not *четыредцать), девяно́сто (not *девятьдесят), сто and ты́сяча. Note the stress split inside the tens: пятьдеся́т and шестьдеся́т lean on the ending, while се́мьдесят and во́семьдесят lean on the stem. All the hundreds do the same — две́сти, три́ста, четы́реста keep the stress forward, пятьсо́т and above throw it onto -со́т.

THE RULE: 1 / 2–4 / 5+ — what a numeral does to its noun

Form	1 → Nominative singular	2, 3, 4 → Genitive singular	5 and above → Genitive plural
дом (m, inanimate)	оди́н дом	два до́ма	пять домо́в
книга (f)	одна́ кни́га	две кни́ги	пять книг
окно (n)	одно́ окно́	четы́ре окна́	пять о́кон
стол (m)	оди́н стол	три стола́	пять столо́в
студент (m, animate)	оди́н студе́нт	два студе́нта	пять студе́нтов
the verb in the past tense	чита́л	чита́ли	чита́ло

This is the single most useful rule in Russian arithmetic. After оди́н the noun is nominative singular and the numeral agrees with it in gender — оди́н дом, одна́ кни́га, одно́ окно́, одни́ часы́. After два (feminine две), три and четы́ре the noun is genitive singular. After пять and everything above it, including every teen, the noun is genitive plural. Two things catch people out. First, the teens govern the genitive plural even when they end in 1 to 4: оди́ннадцать лет, never *одиннадцать год. Second, in a compound numeral only the LAST digit governs — два́дцать оди́н год, два́дцать два го́да, два́дцать пять лет. The verb follows the phrase: plural after 2–4, normally neuter singular in the past after 5+.

Three forms each: the counting nouns you have to learn whole

Form	1 → Nominative singular	2, 3, 4 → Genitive singular	5 and above → Genitive plural
год (m) — year	оди́н год	два го́да	пять лет
час (m) — hour	оди́н час	два часа́	пять часо́в
рубль (m) — rouble	оди́н рубль	два рубля́	пять рубле́й
человек (m) — person	оди́н челове́к	два челове́ка	пять челове́к
раз (m) — time, occasion	оди́н раз	два ра́за	пять раз
день (m) — day	оди́н день	два дня	пять дней
месяц (m) — month	оди́н ме́сяц	два ме́сяца	пять ме́сяцев
минута (f) — minute	одна́ мину́та	две мину́ты	пять мину́т
неделя (f) — week	одна́ неде́ля	две неде́ли	пять неде́ль

Nine everyday nouns keep three forms in your head at once, and no rule predicts them — you learn each one as a triple and say it out loud until it is automatic. год is the wildest: its counting genitive plural, лет, is historically a different word. человек counts on its own stem (пять челове́к) but means "people" as лю́ди everywhere else (мно́го люде́й). The genitive plurals of день and раз are single syllables, so neither carries an acute. Add полтора́ (masculine and neuter) and полторы́ (feminine) for "one and a half"; they behave like 2–4 — полтора́ часа́, полторы́ неде́ли.

Vocabulary

Learn each word with its stress mark and its pronunciation. Nouns are given with their gender, animacy and their full six-case declension; verbs are given with their aspect and, where one exists, their partner verb.

Russian	English	Gender / aspect	Pronunciation	Audio
оди́н numeral	one; a, an (with a noun)	numeral	/ɐˈdʲin/ uh-DEEN	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: один
два numeral	two	numeral	/dva/ DVAH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: два
три numeral	three	numeral	/trʲi/ TREE	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: три
четы́ре numeral	four	numeral	/tɕɪˈtɨrʲɪ/ chih-TIH-ryuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: четыре
пять numeral	five	numeral	/pʲatʲ/ PYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: пять
де́сять numeral	ten	numeral	/ˈdʲesʲɪtʲ/ DYEH-syut	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: десять
со́рок numeral	forty	numeral	/ˈsorək/ SOH-ruk	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: сорок
сто numeral	a hundred	numeral	/sto/ STOH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: сто
ноль numeral	zero, nought	numeral	/nolʲ/ NYOL	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: ноль
ты́сяча feminine · inanimate	a thousand	feminine · inanimate	/ˈtɨsʲɪtɕə/ TIH-syuh-chuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: тысяча
год masculine · inanimate	year	masculine · inanimate	/ɡot/ GOHT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: год
час masculine · inanimate	hour; o’clock	masculine · inanimate	/tɕas/ CHAHS	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: час
мину́та feminine · inanimate	minute	feminine · inanimate	/mʲɪˈnutə/ mih-NOO-tuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: минута
день masculine · inanimate	day	masculine · inanimate	/dʲenʲ/ DYEN	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: день
неде́ля feminine · inanimate	week	feminine · inanimate	/nʲɪˈdʲelʲə/ nih-DYEH-lyuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: неделя
ме́сяц masculine · inanimate	month; the moon	masculine · inanimate	/ˈmʲesʲɪts/ MYEH-syuts	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: месяц
рубль masculine · inanimate	rouble (the Russian currency)	masculine · inanimate	/rublʲ/ ROOBL	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: рубль
челове́к masculine · animate	person; (plural) people	masculine · animate	/tɕɪlɐˈvʲek/ chih-luh-VYEK	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: человек
раз masculine · inanimate	time (as in once, twice); occasion	masculine · inanimate	/ras/ RAHS	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: раз
цена́ feminine · inanimate	price	feminine · inanimate	/t͡sɨˈna/ tsih-NAH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: цена
сда́ча feminine · inanimate	change (money given back)	feminine · inanimate	/ˈsdatɕə/ ZDAH-chuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: сдача
кошелёк masculine · inanimate	purse, wallet	masculine · inanimate	/kəʂɨˈlʲɵk/ kuh-shih-LYOHK	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: кошелёк
ка́рта feminine · inanimate	card (bank card); map	feminine · inanimate	/ˈkartə/ KAHR-tuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: карта
на́личные inanimate	cash	inanimate	/ˈnalʲɪtɕnɨjə/ NAH-lih-chnih-yuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: наличные
ски́дка feminine · inanimate	discount	feminine · inanimate	/ˈskʲitkə/ SKEET-kuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: скидка
сто́ить imperfective	to cost; to be worth	imperfective	/ˈstoɪtʲ/ STOH-it	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: стоить
продава́ть imperfective	to sell	imperfective	/prədɐˈvatʲ/ pruh-duh-VYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: продавать
ско́лько adverb	how much, how many	adverb	/ˈskolʲkə/ SKOHL-kuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: сколько
плати́ть imperfective	to pay	imperfective	/plɐˈtʲitʲ/ pluh-TEET	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: платить
покупа́ть imperfective	to buy	imperfective	/pəkʊˈpatʲ/ puh-koo-PYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: покупать
дава́ть imperfective	to give	imperfective	/dɐˈvatʲ/ duh-VYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: давать
де́ньги inanimate	money	inanimate	/ˈdʲenʲɡʲɪ/ DYEN-gih	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: деньги
вре́мя neuter · inanimate	time	neuter · inanimate	/ˈvrʲemʲə/ VRYEH-myuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: время
продаве́ц masculine · animate	shop assistant, salesperson (male, or generic)	masculine · animate	/prədɐˈvʲets/ pruh-duh-VYETS	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: продавец

Full six-case declension of the 19 nouns in this lesson

Each case is listed with the question word that selects it. Find the question you are answering and the ending follows.

Singular

Form	ты́сяча (f)	год (m)	час (m)	мину́та (f)	день (m)	неде́ля (f)	ме́сяц (m)	рубль (m)	челове́к (m)	раз (m)	цена́ (f)	сда́ча (f)	кошелёк (m)	ка́рта (f)	на́личные	ски́дка (f)	де́ньги	вре́мя (n)	продаве́ц (m)
nom · Кто? Что?	ты́сяча	год	час	мину́та	день	неде́ля	ме́сяц	рубль	челове́к	раз	цена́	сда́ча	кошелёк	ка́рта	—	ски́дка	—	вре́мя	продаве́ц
gen · Кого? Чего?	ты́сячи	го́да	часа́	мину́ты	дня	неде́ли	ме́сяца	рубля́	челове́ка	ра́за	цены́	сда́чи	кошелька́	ка́рты	—	ски́дки	—	вре́мени	продавца́
dat · Кому? Чему?	ты́сяче	го́ду	ча́су	мину́те	дню	неде́ле	ме́сяцу	рублю́	челове́ку	ра́зу	цене́	сда́че	кошельку́	ка́рте	—	ски́дке	—	вре́мени	продавцу́
acc · Кого? Что?	ты́сячу	год	час	мину́ту	день	неде́лю	ме́сяц	рубль	челове́ка	раз	це́ну	сда́чу	кошелёк	ка́рту	—	ски́дку	—	вре́мя	продавца́
instr · Кем? Чем?	ты́сячой	го́дом	ча́сом	мину́той	днём	неде́лей	ме́сяцом	рублём	челове́ком	ра́зом	цено́й	сда́чой	кошелько́м	ка́ртой	—	ски́дкой	—	вре́менем	продавцо́
prep · О ком? О чём?	ты́сяче	го́де	ча́се	мину́те	дне	неде́ле	ме́сяце	рубле́	челове́ке	ра́зе	цене́	сда́че	кошельке́	ка́рте	—	ски́дке	—	вре́мени	продавце́

Plural

Form	ты́сяча (f)	год (m)	час (m)	мину́та (f)	день (m)	неде́ля (f)	ме́сяц (m)	рубль (m)	челове́к (m)	раз (m)	цена́ (f)	сда́ча (f)	кошелёк (m)	ка́рта (f)	на́личные	ски́дка (f)	де́ньги	вре́мя (n)	продаве́ц (m)
nom · Кто? Что?	ты́сячи	года́	часы́	мину́ты	дни	неде́ли	ме́сяцы	рубли́	лю́ди	разы́	це́ны	—	кошельки́	ка́рты	на́личные	ски́дки	де́ньги	времена́	продавцы́
gen · Кого? Чего?	ты́сяч	лет	часо́в	мину́т	дней	неде́ль	ме́сяцев	рубле́й	люде́й	раз	цен	—	кошелько́в	карт	на́личных	ски́док	де́нег	времён	продавцо́в
dat · Кому? Чему?	ты́сячам	года́м	часа́м	мину́там	дням	неде́лам	ме́сяцам	рубля́м	лю́дям	раза́м	це́нам	—	кошелька́м	ка́ртам	на́личным	ски́дкам	де́ньгам	времена́м	продавца́м
acc · Кого? Что?	ты́сячи	года́	часы́	мину́ты	дни	неде́ли	ме́сяцы	рубли́	люде́й	разы́	це́ны	—	кошельки́	ка́рты	на́личные	ски́дки	де́ньги	времена́	продавцо́в
instr · Кем? Чем?	ты́сячами	года́ми	часа́ми	мину́тами	дня́ми	неде́лами	ме́сяцами	рубля́ми	людьми́	раза́ми	це́нами	—	кошелька́ми	ка́ртами	на́личными	ски́дками	де́ньгами	времена́ми	продавца́ми
prep · О ком? О чём?	ты́сячах	года́х	часа́х	мину́тах	днях	неде́лах	ме́сяцах	рубля́х	лю́дях	раза́х	це́нах	—	кошелька́х	ка́ртах	на́личных	ски́дках	де́ньгах	времена́х	продавца́х

A dash means the form does not exist. Plural-only nouns such as де́ньги and су́тки have no singular, and indeclinable nouns such as ко́фе and метро́ keep one form in all six cases.

Ready-to-use phrases

Оди́н, два, три, четы́ре, пять.

One, two, three, four, five.

IPA /ɐˈdʲin dva trʲi tɕɪˈtɨrʲɪ pʲatʲ/

Say it uh-DEEN, DVAH, TREE, chih-TIH-ryuh, PYAT.

The counting drill, and the first thing to say out loud. Only оди́н and четы́ре are long enough to need a mark in this line; два, три and пять are single syllables, and a monosyllable never carries an acute.

neutral numbers core pronunciation

Шесть, семь, во́семь, де́вять, де́сять.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

IPA /ʂɛsʲtʲ sʲemʲ ˈvosʲɪmʲ ˈdʲevʲɪtʲ ˈdʲesʲɪtʲ/

Say it SHEST, SYEM, VOH-sim, DYEH-vyut, DYEH-syut.

шесть and семь are monosyllables. All five end in a soft consonant, which the apostrophe in the respelling shows: [tʲ], [mʲ]. In each of во́семь, де́вять and де́сять the unstressed vowel — е in the first, я in the other two — is reduced to [ɪ], never a full [e].

neutral numbers core pronunciation

Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?

How much is this?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə ˈɛtə ˈstoɪtʲ/

Say it SKOHL-kuh EH-tuh STOH-it?

The single most useful shopping sentence in Russian. «это» never changes form, so you can point at anything and ask it. The verb is singular сто́ит because «это» is singular — with several things it becomes сто́ят.

neutral questions shopping numbers

Ско́лько сто́ит ко́фе?

How much is the coffee?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə ˈstoɪt ˈkofʲe/

Say it SKOHL-kuh STOH-it KOH-fyuh?

кофе is indeclinable and masculine, so it looks the same in every case and every position. Add «пожа́луйста» at the end and it works as an order too.

neutral questions shopping food

Ско́лько сто́ят я́блоки?

How much are the apples?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə ˈstojət ˈjabləkʲɪ/

Say it SKOHL-kuh STOH-yit YAH-bluh-kih?

With a plural subject the verb is plural: сто́ят, not сто́ит. That is the only difference between this sentence and the one before it — and the reason сто́ит (it costs) and стои́т (it stands) are so easy to mix up by ear.

neutral questions shopping food plural

Э́то сто́ит два́дцать пять рубле́й.

That costs twenty-five roubles.

IPA /ˈɛtə ˈstoɪt ˈdvatsətʲ pʲatʲ rʊˈblʲej/

Say it EH-tuh STOH-it DVAH-tsit PYAT roo-BLEY.

два́дцать пять ends in пять, so the noun takes the genitive plural рубле́й. Compound numerals are simply juxtaposed, largest first, with no word for "and".

neutral shopping numbers genitive

Э́то сто́ит сто рубле́й.

That costs a hundred roubles.

IPA /ˈɛtə ˈstoɪt sto rʊˈblʲej/

Say it EH-tuh STOH-it STOH roo-BLEY.

сто is a monosyllable and carries no acute. Every case other than the nominative is ста, so "just under a hundred" is «без ста рубле́й».

neutral shopping numbers

Ско́лько вре́мени?

What time is it?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə ˈvrʲemʲɪnʲɪ/

Say it SKOHL-kuh VRYEH-mih-nih?

Literally "how much of time": время is an -мя noun, so its genitive is вре́мени (Lesson 8). The answer is a numeral plus час — «Сейча́с три часа́». Lesson 17 gives you the whole clock, including the other way of asking, «Кото́рый час?».

neutral questions time

Сейча́с три часа́.

It’s three o’clock.

IPA /sʲɪˈtɕas trʲi tɕɪˈsa/

Say it siy-CHAHS TREE chuh-SAH.

три takes the genitive singular, and the genitive singular of час is часа́ with the stress on the ending. The same words also mean "three hours" — «Я ждал три часа́». Russian needs no separate formula for the clock at this level.

neutral time numbers genitive

Ско́лько тебе́ лет?

How old are you?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə tʲɪˈbʲe lʲet/

Say it SKOHL-kuh tih-BYEH LYET?

Literally "how many years to you": the person is in the dative (тебе́), the years are the genitive plural лет, and there is no verb at all. Informal — use it with friends and children.

informal questions numbers time

Ско́лько вам лет?

How old are you? (polite)

IPA /ˈskolʲkə vam lʲet/

Say it SKOHL-kuh VAHM LYET?

The вы version, and the one to use with anyone older than you or newly met. Asking an adult their age can sound as blunt in Russian as it does in English; this is the normal form on a document or at a doctor’s, less usual at a party.

polite questions numbers register politeness

Мне два́дцать пять лет.

I am twenty-five.

IPA /mnʲe ˈdvatsətʲ pʲatʲ lʲet/

Say it muh-NYEH DVAH-tsit PYAT LYET.

Age is a dative construction with no verb: «мне» + a number + лет. Because the number ends in пять, the noun is the genitive plural лет. Swap in your own: «Мне три́дцать лет», «Мне двадцать лет».

neutral numbers time dative

Оди́н год, два го́да, пять лет.

One year, two years, five years.

IPA /ɐˈdʲin ɡot dva ˈɡodə pʲatʲ lʲet/

Say it uh-DEEN GOHT, DVAH GOH-duh, PYAT LYET.

The whole lesson in one line: one year, two years, five years — three different forms of the same noun. год keeps its stem stress in the genitive singular (го́да) and switches to an unrelated word in the genitive plural (лет).

neutral numbers time genitive

Оди́н рубль, два рубля́, пять рубле́й.

One rouble, two roubles, five roubles.

IPA /ɐˈdʲin rublʲ dva rʊˈblʲa pʲatʲ rʊˈblʲej/

Say it uh-DEEN ROOBL, DVAH roo-BLYAH, PYAT roo-BLEY.

The same three-form pattern. The soft sign of рубль disappears in every oblique case and the stress jumps onto the ending: рубля́, рубле́й, рубля́м.

neutral numbers shopping genitive

Три дня без рабо́ты.

Three days without work.

IPA /trʲi dnʲa bʲes rɐˈbotɨ/

Say it TREE duh-NYAH biz ruh-BOH-tih.

два, три and четы́ре take the genitive singular, and the genitive singular of день is дня — the vowel drops and one syllable is left, so there is no acute to place. пять would give the genitive plural дней. «без» + genitive is Lesson 8.

neutral numbers time genitive work

Две кни́ги, пожа́луйста.

Two books, please.

IPA /dvʲe ˈknʲiɡʲɪ pɐˈʐalujstə/

Say it DVYEH kuh-NEE-gih, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.

книга is feminine, so two is две, and the noun is genitive singular: кни́ги. Say «пять книг» and the ending changes again — that contrast is the drill of the lesson.

polite shopping numbers politeness

Пять книг, пожа́луйста.

Five books, please.

IPA /pʲatʲ ˈknʲik pɐˈʐalujstə/

Say it PYAT kuh-NEEKH, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.

пять takes the genitive plural, and the genitive plural of книга is the bare stem: книг. The г devoices to [к] before the pause.

polite shopping numbers genitive

Два ча́я, пожа́луйста.

Two teas, please.

IPA /dva ˈtɕajə pɐˈʐalujstə/

Say it DVAH CHAH-yuh, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.

"Two teas" — an uncountable noun counted anyway, exactly as in English. чай is a -й stem, so its genitive singular is ча́я (Lesson 6): два ча́я, три ча́я, четы́ре ча́я.

polite shopping food numbers

Ско́лько с меня́?

How much do I owe you?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə s mʲɪˈna/

Say it SKOHL-kuh s mih-NYAH?

Literally "how much from me": с + genitive, the preposition you met in «с рабо́ты» (Lesson 8). This is the fixed way to ask for the total in a shop, at a market or in a café, and it needs no verb.

neutral questions shopping

С вас сто два́дцать рубле́й.

That’s a hundred and twenty roubles.

IPA /s vas sto ˈdvatsətʲ rʊˈblʲej/

Say it s VAHS STOH DVAH-tsit roo-BLEY.

The seller’s mirror image of «Ско́лько с меня́?» — "that’ll be 120 roubles". Again no verb: с + genitive, then the amount.

neutral shopping numbers

Мо́жно на́личными?

Can I pay in cash?

IPA /ˈmoʐnə ˈnalʲɪtɕnɨmʲɪ/

Say it MOHZH-nuh NAH-lih-chnih-mih?

«можно» + instrumental is the polite way to ask whether something is allowed (Lesson 4). нали́чные is a plural-only adjective used as a noun, and its instrumental is нали́чными.

polite shopping questions politeness

Я плачу́ ка́ртой.

I’m paying by card.

IPA /jɪ plɐˈtɕu ˈkartəj/

Say it YAH pluh-CHOO KAHR-tuy.

плачу́ is the first person of плати́ть, which turns its т into ч: я плачу́, ты пла́тишь. The means of payment is instrumental — ка́ртой or нали́чными — the same case you used for «с мо́локом» in Lesson 10.

neutral shopping instrumental

Вот ва́ша сда́ча.

Here’s your change.

IPA /vot ˈvaʂə ˈsdatɕə/

Say it VOHT VAH-shih ZDAH-chuh.

«Here is your change.» ва́ша is the feminine form of ваш, agreeing with the feminine noun сда́ча. «Вот» is the pointing word from Lesson 1 and needs no verb after it.

neutral shopping

У вас есть ски́дка?

Do you have a discount?

IPA /ʊ vas jesʲtʲ ˈskʲitkə/

Say it oo VAHS YEST SKEET-kuh?

Literally "at you there is a discount" — the у + genitive possession chunk of Lesson 4. The д is pronounced [т] before the к: [ˈskʲitkə].

neutral shopping questions

Сего́дня мой пе́рвый день.

Today is my first day.

IPA /sʲɪˈvodʲnʲə moj ˈpʲervɨj dʲenʲ/

Say it sih-VOHD-nyuh MOY PYEH-rviy DYEN.

Ordinal numbers agree like adjectives and change for gender: пе́рвый (m), пе́рвая (f), пе́рвое (n), пе́рвые (pl). At this level you need them in the nominative only — the oblique forms come later.

neutral numbers time work

Я здесь в пе́рвый раз.

I’m here for the first time.

IPA /jɪ zdʲesʲ f ˈpʲervɨj ras/

Say it YAH ZDYES f PYEH-rviy RAHS.

раз here is the counting noun "occasion", not the conjunction "since": оди́н раз, два ра́за, пять раз. «в пе́рвый раз» is a fixed chunk; the masculine inanimate form of the ordinal looks exactly like the nominative.

neutral numbers time city

Dialogues

In a bookshop

Tom is buying school things in a Moscow bookshop. He and the shop assistant are strangers, so they use вы.

Tom
Здравствуйте! Скажите, сколько стоит книга?

Hello! Could you tell me how much the book costs?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Здравствуйте! Скажите, сколько стоит книга?
Shop assistant
Двести пятьдесят рублей.

Two hundred and fifty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Двести пятьдесят рублей.
Tom
А ручка? Сколько она стоит?

And the pen? How much is it?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: А ручка? Сколько она стоит?
Shop assistant
Пятьдесят рублей.

Fifty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Пятьдесят рублей.
Tom
Хорошо. Две книги и три ручки, пожалуйста.

Right. Two books and three pens, please.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Хорошо. Две книги и три ручки, пожалуйста.
Shop assistant
С вас шестьсот пятьдесят рублей.

That’s six hundred and fifty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: С вас шестьсот пятьдесят рублей.
Tom
Можно картой?

Can I pay by card?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Можно картой?
Shop assistant
Да, можно. Спасибо!

Yes, of course. Thank you!
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, можно. Спасибо!

At the market

Marina is buying fruit at a market. She does not know the seller, so they use вы.

Seller
Добрый день! Что вы хотите?

Good afternoon! What would you like?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Добрый день! Что вы хотите?
Marina
Добрый день! Сколько стоят яблоки?

Good afternoon! How much are the apples?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Добрый день! Сколько стоят яблоки?
Seller
Сто двадцать рублей.

A hundred and twenty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Сто двадцать рублей.
Marina
А скидка есть?

Is there a discount?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: А скидка есть?
Seller
Да, девяносто рублей.

Yes, ninety roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, девяносто рублей.
Marina
Хорошо. Пять яблок, пожалуйста.

Right. Five apples, please.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Хорошо. Пять яблок, пожалуйста.
Seller
С вас девяносто рублей. Картой или наличными?

That’s ninety roubles. Card or cash?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: С вас девяносто рублей. Картой или наличными?
Marina
Наличными. Вот сто рублей.

Cash. Here’s a hundred.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Наличными. Вот сто рублей.
Seller
Спасибо! Вот ваша сдача — десять рублей.

Thank you! Here’s your change — ten roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Спасибо! Вот ваша сдача — десять рублей.

Paying at a café counter

Anna is paying for her order. Staff and customers always start with вы.

Barista
Кофе и чай. С вас сто пятьдесят рублей.

A coffee and a tea. That’s a hundred and fifty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Кофе и чай. С вас сто пятьдесят рублей.
Anna
Можно наличными?

Can I pay in cash?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Можно наличными?
Barista
Да, можно.

Yes, of course.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, можно.
Anna
Вот двести рублей.

Here’s two hundred roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Вот двести рублей.
Barista
Спасибо! Вот ваша сдача — пятьдесят рублей.

Thank you! Here’s your change — fifty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Спасибо! Вот ваша сдача — пятьдесят рублей.
Anna
Спасибо! Сколько стоит вода?

Thanks! How much is the water?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Спасибо! Сколько стоит вода?
Barista
Тридцать рублей.

Thirty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Тридцать рублей.
Anna
Хорошо. И воду, пожалуйста. Вот тридцать рублей.

Right. And a water, please. Here’s thirty roubles.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Хорошо. И воду, пожалуйста. Вот тридцать рублей.

Exercises

Answer actively — try to recall the Russian before you look at any hint.

Numeral Agreement Exercise 1

Choose the correct Russian.

two hours

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: два часа́ два часо́в две часа́ два час

два часа́

Hint: час is masculine; 2–4 take the genitive singular

два takes the genitive singular, and the genitive singular of час is часа́ with the stress thrown onto the ending. час is masculine, so it is два and not две. пять switches the noun to the genitive plural: пять часо́в.

Numeral Agreement Exercise 2

Choose the correct Russian.

five years

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: пять лет пять годо́в пять го́да пять го́ды

пять лет

Hint: год — года — …

After пять the noun goes into the genitive plural, and the counting genitive plural of год is лет — historically a different word, and the one Russian always uses for counting and for age. The regular genitive plural годо́в survives only in set phrases such as девяно́стые го́ды.

Numeral Agreement Exercise 3

Choose the correct Russian.

twenty-one roubles

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: два́дцать оди́н рубль два́дцать оди́н рубля́ два́дцать оди́н рубле́й два́дцать одна́ рубль

два́дцать оди́н рубль

Hint: look only at the last digit

Only the last digit governs. два́дцать оди́н ends in оди́н, so the noun is nominative singular: рубль, not рубля́ and not рубле́й. The same rule gives два́дцать два рубля́ and два́дцать пять рубле́й. This is the detail that catches out even strong learners, because it feels wrong to let a small final digit overrule a large number.

Numeral Agreement Exercise 4

Choose the correct Russian.

four people

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: четы́ре челове́ка четы́ре челове́к четы́ре лю́ди четы́ре люде́й

четы́ре челове́ка

Hint: человек counts on its own stem

2–4 take the genitive singular: челове́ка. The genitive plural used for counting stays on the same stem — пять челове́к — while лю́ди and люде́й are the everyday plural, used after мно́го: мно́го люде́й. «четы́ре лю́ди» is not Russian.

Numeral Agreement Exercise 5

Choose the correct Russian.

two weeks

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: две неде́ли две неде́ль два неде́ли две неде́ля

две неде́ли

Hint: feminine → две

неделя is feminine, so two is две, and 2–4 take the genitive singular: неде́ли. пять gives the genitive plural неде́ль, where the -я disappears and a soft sign is left holding the word up.

Numeral Agreement Exercise 6

Choose the correct Russian.

eleven years

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: оди́ннадцать лет оди́ннадцать год оди́ннадцать го́да одинна́дцать лет

оди́ннадцать лет

Hint: the teens behave like пять

The teens all govern the genitive plural, including the ones that end in 1 to 4: оди́ннадцать лет, двена́дцать лет, пятна́дцать лет — never *одиннадцать год. The fourth option also puts the stress in the wrong place: it is оди́ннадцать, like четы́рнадцать, not *одинна́дцать.

Case Choice Exercise 7

Choose the correct form of рубль.

Мне нужно пять ___ . (рубль)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: рубле́й рубля́ рубль рублю́

рубле́й

Hint: 5+ → genitive plural

пять and everything above it take the genitive plural. The soft sign of рубль disappears in every oblique form and the stress moves onto the ending: рубле́й. Compare два рубля́, where the genitive is singular.

Case Choice Exercise 8

Choose the correct form of карта.

Я плачу ___ . (карта)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: ка́ртой ка́рту ка́рте ка́рта

ка́ртой

Hint: by means of → instrumental

The means of payment is in the instrumental, the case you met in Lesson 10: ка́ртой, нали́чными. For a feminine noun in -а the instrumental ending is -ой. The accusative ка́рту would make the card the thing being paid for.

Case Choice Exercise 9

Choose the correct form of цена.

Мы говорили о ___ . (цена)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: цене́ це́не це́ну цены́

цене́

Hint: о + prepositional, stress on the ending

о takes the prepositional. цена has mobile stress like вода́, and in the prepositional singular the stress sits on the ending: цене́. The genitive is цены́ and the accusative це́ну — three shapes of the same four letters, and only the stress and the ending tell them apart.

Case Choice Exercise 10

Choose the correct form of день.

Я был дома два ___ . (день)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: дня дней день дне

дня

Hint: 2–4 → genitive singular

два takes the genitive singular, and the genitive singular of день drops its vowel entirely: дня. пять would give дней. Neither form is long enough to carry a stress mark, because both are a single syllable.

Ending Choice Exercise 11

Choose the ending.

Genitive plural of «рубль»: рубл___

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Choose from: -ей -ов -и -ям

-ей

A masculine noun in a soft sign takes -ей in the genitive plural: рубле́й, with the stress on the ending. -ов belongs to hard stems (часо́в, домо́в, студе́нтов), -ям is the dative plural and -и the nominative plural.

Ending Choice Exercise 12

Choose the ending.

Genitive plural of «час»: час___

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: -ов -ей -ам -ы

-ов

A masculine noun in a hard consonant takes -ов in the genitive plural: часо́в. Compare два часа́, where the genitive is singular and the stress already sits on the ending.

Ending Choice Exercise 13

Choose the ending.

Genitive plural of «неделя»: неде___

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: -ль -лей -лям -й

-ль

Feminine nouns in -я usually drop the ending altogether in the genitive plural, and where that would leave an impossible cluster a soft sign or an о appears to hold the word up: неде́ль, ски́док, кни́г. So: одна́ неде́ля, две неде́ли, пять неде́ль.

Stress Choice Exercise 14

Choose the correctly stressed form.

Where does the stress fall in «четыре»?

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: четы́ре четыре́ че́тыре

четы́ре

On the ы: четы́ре. The stress does not move, and the first е is unstressed, so it is pronounced [ɪ] — [tɕɪˈtɨrʲɪ]. Compare сто́ит (it costs) with стои́т (it stands): there the stress is the only thing separating two different verbs.

Stress Choice Exercise 15

Choose the correctly stressed form.

«Книга ___ сто рублей.» — choose the form of the verb.

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: сто́ит стои́т

сто́ит

сто́ить, "to cost", keeps the stress on the о in every form: сто́ю, сто́ишь, сто́ит, сто́им, сто́ите, сто́ят, сто́ил. стоя́ть, "to stand", throws it onto the ending: стою́, стои́т, стоя́т. The two verbs are spelled identically in the third person singular, so only the stress and the context separate them — which is why this pair is worth learning early.

Multiple Choice Exercise 16

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence means "How much is this?"

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: Ско́лько э́то сто́ит? Ско́лько э́то плати́т? Ско́лько э́то покупа́ет? Как э́то сто́ит?

Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?

сто́ить means "to cost", and the thing whose price you are asking about is the subject: «Кни́га сто́ит сто рубле́й». плати́т is what a person does, and покупа́ет means "buys". «Как» asks "how", never "how much" — that is «ско́лько».

Multiple Choice Exercise 17

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is the right way to say "I am twenty-five"?

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: Мне два́дцать пять лет. Я два́дцать пять лет. Мне два́дцать пять го́да. У меня́ два́дцать пять лет.

Мне два́дцать пять лет.

Age is a dative construction with no verb in it: the person is in the dative (мне), the number follows, and the noun is the genitive plural лет. There is no «я», no «есть» and nothing to agree with. «Я двадцать пять лет» would mean "I have been twenty-five for…", because without мне it reads as a length of time.

Translate To English Exercise 18

Translate into English.

Ско́лько с меня́?

Show answer and explanation

How much do I owe?

Literally "how much from me": с + genitive, the same preposition as in «с рабо́ты». It is the fixed phrase for asking the total in a shop, at a market or in a café, and it contains no verb at all.

Translate To English Exercise 19

Translate into English.

В семье́ четы́ре челове́ка.

Show answer and explanation

There are four people in the family.

четы́ре takes the genitive singular: челове́ка — not *челове́к and not *лю́ди. «В семье́» is the prepositional of семья́, with the stress moved onto the ending, and the whole sentence has no verb because the present-tense "to be" is invisible.

Translate To Russian Exercise 20

Translate into Russian.

How much does the coffee cost?

Show answer and explanation

Ско́лько сто́ит ко́фе?

сто́ить takes the thing as its subject, so the word order sits close to the English: «Ско́лько сто́ит ко́фе?» кофе is indeclinable and masculine, so it never changes form wherever it goes in the sentence.

Translate To Russian Exercise 21

Translate into Russian.

Five roubles, please.

Show answer and explanation

Пять рубле́й, пожа́луйста.

пять takes the genitive plural, and the genitive plural of рубль is рубле́й: the soft sign disappears and the stress moves onto the ending. пожа́луйста softens any request and normally sits at the end of it.

Translate To Russian Exercise 22

Translate into Russian.

I am paying by card.

Show answer and explanation

Я плачу́ ка́ртой.

Hint: платить → я плачу; card → instrumental

плачу́ is the first person of плати́ть, which turns its т into ч: я плачу́, ты пла́тишь. The means of payment is in the instrumental — ка́ртой or нали́чными — the case you met in Lesson 10. Dropping «я» is equally natural: «Плачу́ ка́ртой».

Translate To Russian Exercise 23

Translate into Russian.

Two books and three pens.

Show answer and explanation

Две кни́ги и три ру́чки.

Hint: both nouns are feminine; 2–4 → genitive singular

книга is feminine, so two is две, and ручка is feminine too, so both nouns go into the genitive singular: кни́ги, ру́чки. Nothing here is genitive plural — that only arrives at пять. Five pens would be пять ру́чек, with an о inserted to hold the word up, exactly as оши́бка gives оши́бок.

Translate To Russian Exercise 24

Translate into Russian.

How old are you? (to a friend)

Show answer and explanation

Ско́лько тебе́ лет?

Literally "how many years to you": тебе́ is the dative of ты, лет is the genitive plural of год, and there is no verb. With вы it becomes «Ско́лько вам лет?» — always use that with someone older than you or newly met.

Fill Gap Exercise 25

Fill the gap with the right form of час.

Два ___ . (час)

Show answer and explanation

часа́

Hint: 2–4 → genitive singular, stress on the ending

2–4 take the genitive singular, and час moves its stress onto the ending there: часа́. The dative singular is ча́су, with the stress back on the stem — the one place the two patterns meet in a single noun.

Fill Gap Exercise 26

Fill the gap with the right form of минута.

Пять ___ . (минута)

Show answer and explanation

мину́т

Hint: 5+ → genitive plural

пять takes the genitive plural, and for a feminine noun in -а that is the bare stem: мину́т. The stress never leaves the у in any form of the word.

Fill Gap Exercise 27

Fill the gap with the Russian for "in cash".

Можно ___ ? (in cash)

Show answer and explanation

на́личными

Hint: by what means → instrumental

The instrumental answers "by what means": нали́чными for cash, ка́ртой for card. нали́чные is a plural-only adjective used as a noun, so its instrumental is the adjective ending -ыми, and the stress stays on the first syllable.

Fill Gap Exercise 28

Fill the gap with the Russian for "first".

Я здесь в ___ раз. (for the first time)

Show answer and explanation

пе́рвый

Hint: nominative masculine of "first"

Ordinal numerals agree like adjectives, and at this level you need them in the nominative only: пе́рвый, пе́рвая, пе́рвое, пе́рвые. «в пе́рвый раз» is a fixed chunk meaning "for the first time"; the form here looks exactly like the nominative because раз is masculine and inanimate.

Word Order Exercise 29

Put the words in order.

Build the sentence: "Today I am buying two books."

Show answer and explanation

Сего́дня я покупа́ю две кни́ги.

Hint: time word first or after «я»

The neutral order puts the time word either first or straight after the subject, and both are equally natural. две because книга is feminine, then the genitive singular книги. «два книги» and «две книгу» are the two mistakes this drill exists to prevent. The two extra words in the bank belong to a different sentence.

Sentence Transform Exercise 30

Change the numeral and the noun with it.

Rewrite this with пять instead of два: «Два часа́».

Show answer and explanation

Пять часо́в

Hint: 5+ → genitive plural

два takes the genitive singular (часа́); пять takes the genitive plural (часо́в). Both throw the stress onto the ending, so the vowel you hear is almost the same — only the ending changes. Run this drill over every counting noun in the lesson: год — лет, рубль — рубле́й, день — дней.

Listen And Type Exercise 31

Play the audio and type what you hear.

Listen and type the sentence.

Show answer and explanation

Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?

Listen for the reductions: [ˈskolʲkə ˈɛtə ˈstoɪtʲ]. The о of ско́лько is stressed and full, but the second о of -лько and the о of э́то both collapse to [ə]. сто́ит keeps its stress on the first syllable — стои́т would be "it stands".

Match Pairs Exercise 32

Pair the nouns with their genitive plurals.

Match each noun with the form that follows пять.

Show answer and explanation

год лет, час часо́в, рубль рубле́й, день дней, неде́ля неде́ль, мину́та мину́т

Six of the nine counting nouns in one go. Some add an ending (часо́в, рубле́й, дней), some are the bare stem (мину́т, неде́ль), and год swaps to an unrelated word (лет). Learn each one as a triple with its nominative and its genitive singular, and say the triple aloud — that is the only way the three forms stop competing in your head.

Conjugation Exercise 33

Give the verb form.

сто́ить — present tense, он / она́ / оно́

Show answer and explanation

сто́ит

Hint: class II, stress on the stem

Conjugation II: сто́ю, сто́ишь, сто́ит, сто́им, сто́ите, сто́ят. The stress stays on the о in every form, including the past (сто́ил, сто́ила, сто́или). Standing is a different verb: стоя́ть gives стои́т.

True False Exercise 34

Answer true or false.

«Пять часов» can mean both "five hours" and "five o’clock".

Show answer and explanation

true

True. The same two words do both jobs: «Я ждал пять часов» and «Сейчас пять часов». Russian needs no special clock formula at this level — «Кото́рый час?», halves and quarters all come in Lesson 17.

Speak now

Say each sentence aloud three times: slowly, at normal speed, then from memory. Then change the number and say the new version out loud — from два часа́ to пять часо́в, from одна́ неде́ля to две неде́ли. That swap is the whole lesson in one movement, and it is the only way the three forms of a counting noun stop competing in your head.

Ско́лько э́то сто́ит? How much is this? Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?
Э́то сто́ит два́дцать пять рубле́й. It costs twenty-five roubles. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Э́то сто́ит два́дцать пять рубле́й.
Мне два́дцать пять лет. I am twenty-five. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне два́дцать пять лет.
Оди́н год, два го́да, пять лет. One year, two years, five years. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Оди́н год, два го́да, пять лет.
Сейча́с три часа́. It is three o’clock. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Сейча́с три часа́.
Я плачу́ ка́ртой. I am paying by card. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я плачу́ ка́ртой.

Lesson checkpoint

Before you move on, make sure you can do all of this without looking:

Count aloud from one to twenty without looking, then run up the tens to a hundred and say сорок, девяносто and сто three times each
Take five nouns you already know and give all three counting forms of each — one, two, five — out loud
Say your own age in Russian, then say how old two people you know are, and check that the noun after the number is the genitive plural
Ask the price of three things around you and answer each with a number and рублей
Say двадцать один год, двадцать два года and двадцать пять лет in order, then explain out loud why the ending changes each time
Role-play paying in a shop from memory: ask the total, offer card or cash, and ask for the change

Remember this

оди́н agrees like an adjective and leaves its noun in the nominative singular: оди́н дом, одна́ кни́га, одно́ окно́, одни́ часы́. два is for masculine and neuter nouns, две for feminine ones.
два, три and четы́ре put the noun into the genitive singular: два до́ма, две кни́ги, три часа́, четы́ре окна́. пять and everything above it put the noun into the genitive plural: пять домо́в, пять книг, пять часо́в.
The teens govern the genitive plural even when they end in 1 to 4 — оди́ннадцать лет, never *одиннадцать год. In a compound numeral only the last digit governs: два́дцать оди́н год, два́дцать два го́да, два́дцать пять лет.
Compound numerals are juxtaposed, largest first, with no word for "and". со́рок, девяно́сто, сто and ты́сяча sit outside every pattern and have to be learnt whole; ты́сяча is a feminine noun and declines like кни́га.
Nine nouns have three counting forms that must be learnt as triples: год — го́да — лет, час — часа́ — часо́в, рубль — рубля́ — рубле́й, человек — челове́ка — челове́к, раз — ра́за — раз, день — дня — дней, месяц — месяца — месяцев, минута — минуты — минут, неделя — недели — недель.
Buying things: «Ско́лько э́то сто́ит?», «Ско́лько с меня́?», «С вас сто рубле́й», «Мо́жно ка́ртой?», «Мо́жно нали́чными?», «Вот ва́ша сда́ча». сто́ит means "it costs"; стои́т means "it stands", and only the stress tells them apart.

Go deeper: Cardinal numbers from one to a million · Numeral government: 1 / 2–4 / 5+ · Ordinal numbers and how they agree · The genitive plural · Questions and question words · The instrumental case

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