Syntax of numbers 200, 300, 400

Best fonts for printing/viewing this page

Overview

The numbers 200, 300 and 400 work just like the number five.

Nominative phrases

When the numbers 200, 300 and 400 are in nominative number phrases, they are followed by the genitive plural of nouns and adjectives. Adjectives before the numbers are usually in the nominative plural.

Все двести американские солдаты боролись до самого конца. All two hundred American soldiers fought to the very end.
Эти триста партизанов отогнали всех нападиющих. These three hundred partisans drove off all the attackers.
Четыреста танков вторглось в наш край. Four hundred tanks invaded our region.

Oblique phrases

When the numbers 200, 300 and 400 are in oblique number phrases, they appear in the same case as the noun they quantify. That noun is always in the plural. Any adjectives before and after the number are also in the plural of that case.

Gen Моя зарплата снизилась до невероятных двухсот австралийских долларов. My salary decreased to an unbelievable two hundred Australian dollars.
Pre Ядовитые отходы были обнаружены в ближайших трёхстах украинских деревнях. Toxic wastes were discovered in the nearest 300 Ukrainian villages.
Dat Благотворительный фонд выдал деньги этим четырёмстам новым студентам. A charitable organization gave money to these four hundred new students.
Inst Благотворительный фонд хорошо справлялся с теми двумястами молодыми беженцами. The charitable organization dealt well with those two hundred young refugees.

In conversational Russian the oblique forms of the 200, 300 and 400 are very commonly followed by the genitive plural of nouns and adjectives:

Pre В санатории есть крытый бассейн, три спальных корпуса, в двухстах метров — хороший пляж. (Adapted from (source)) The resort has a covered swimming pool and three dormitories. There is a nice beach located two hundred meters from it.
Inst У мертвеца вывернули карманы — забрали кошелёк с двумястами долларов. (Adapted from (source)) They turned out the dead man's pockets and took the wallet that had two hundred dollars.

Accusative phrases

When the numbers 200, 300 and 400 appear in number phrases in the accusative case, the number has the same form as the nominative. The numbers are always followed by the genitive plural of nouns and adjectives. If the number is preceded by an adjective, then the adjective usually copies nominative plural if the noun is inanimate, and genitive plural if animate:

Я купил те двести редких книг. I bought those two hundred rare books.
Я купил тех двести редких коров. I bought those two hundred rare cows.
Она продала все триста английских словарей. She sold all three hundred English dictionaries.
Она пригласила всех триста английских библиотекарей. She invited all three hundred English librarians.
Солдаты уничтожили все четыреста фашистских танков. The soldiers destroyed all four hundred fascist tanks.
Солдаты убили всех четыреста фашистских пехотинцев. The soldiers killed all four hundred fascist infantrymen.

Verbal agreement

Verbal agreement principles for the numers 200, 300 and 400 are the same as for the number пять.

Rev. 10:34 AM 4/18/2010