In these pages we will call those cardinal numbers that are written as a single word “simple numbers.” Thus words like один, одно, одного, два, две, двум, пять, пятью, восемьдесят, восьмидесяти and трёмстам are all simple numbers. When a number is made up of more than one simple number, we will call that number a “compound number.” Thus numbers like 21 «двадцать один», 132 «сто тридцать две», 132 «сто тридцать два» and 548 «пятьсот сорок восемь» are compound numbers.
Numbers under 1000
Compound numbers ending in 1
When a compound number ends in 1, the noun that follows it is in the singular. The plural form of the number one одни never occurs in compound numbers. If the compound number is the subject of the sentence, then each element of the compound number is in the nominative. The verb must agree with the noun phrase and thus is also in the singular:
На сцене пел двадцать один певец.
Twenty-one (male) singers were singing on the stage.
На сцене пела сорок одна певица.
Forty-one (female) singers were singing on the stage.
На стенах висело двести однo полотно.
There were two hundred one canvases on the wall.
If the compound number is in the accusative case, then each member of the compound number is in the accusative case. The noun is in the accusative singular. Bear in mind that the masculine один will show an animacy distinction:
Мы увидели пятьдесят один танк.
We spotted fifty-one tanks.
Мы увидели пятьдесят одного солдата.
We spotted fifty-one soldiers.
Мы распечатали триста одну книгу.
We printed three hundred one books.
Мы нарисовали четыреста однo полотно.
We painted four hundred one canvases.
If the compound number is in an oblique case, each member of the number is in that case, and the noun is in the singular of that case:
Gen
Нам мешало присутствие шестидесяти одного иностранца.
We were hindered by the presence of sixty-one foreigners.
Pre
Фирма нуждается в ста одной машине.
The company needs one hundred and one cars.
Dat
Издержки на один этот частный дом равны четырёмстам одному обыкновенному зданию.
The cost of this single private home was equal to four hundred and one ordinary buildings.
Ins
Врачи заинтересовались шестьюстами сорока одним случаем необъясняемого заражения.
The doctors became interested in six hundred forty-one incidences of inexplicable infection.
Compound numbers ending in 2, 3 and 4
Nominative case
When a compound number occurs in subject position and ends in 2, 3 or 4, the noun that follows it appears in the genitive singular, just as it does with the plain numbers 2, 3 and 4. The adjectives also follow the standard rules for 2, 3 and 4. The verb usually occurs in the plural, though the neuter singular is also possible. Bear in mind that the number 2 will also show a gender distinction. Examples:
В клубе танцевали семьдесят два француза.
Seventy-two Frenchmen were dancing in the club.
В клубе танцевали семьдесят две французженки.
Seventy-two Frenchwomen were dancing in the club.
В клубе танцевали восемьдесят три немца.
Seventy-three Germans were dancing in the club.
В клубе танцевали девяноста четыре американки.
Ninety-four American women were dancing in the club.
Accusative case
When a compound number phrase occurs in a context that requires the accusative case, and the number ends in 2, 3 or 4, the phrase copies the nominative case, not the accusative case. Note that this is not what we would expect by comparison with the simple number forms. Examples:
Автобус доставил на курорт семьдесят два французов.
The bus delivered seventy-two Frenchmen to the resort.
Автобус доставил на курорт семьдесят две французженки.
The bus delivered seventy-two Frenchwomen to the resort.
Автобус доставил на курорт восемьдесят три немца.
The bus delivered seventy-three Germans to the resort.
Автобус доставил на курорт девяноста четыре американки.
The bus delivered ninety-four American women to the resort.
Oblique cases
When a compound number occurs in an oblique case and ends in 2, 3 or 4, each member of the phrase occurs in the oblique case, and the noun occurs in the oblique plural. Examples:
Gen
ОВИР получил заявления от двацати двух французов.
OVIR received applications from twenty-two Frenchmen.
Pre
Больница нуждается в двацати двух новых врачах.
The hospital needs twenty-two new doctors.
Dat
ОВИР отказал двацати двум французам.
OVIR rejected twenty-two Frenchmen.
Ins
Врачи заинтересовались семьюдесятью немцами.
The doctors became interested in seventy Germans.
Compound numbers ending in 5 and above
Nominative case
When a compound number occurs in subject position and ends in 5 or a higher number, the noun and adjective that follows it appears in the genitive plural, just as it does with the plain numbers 5 and above. The verb may appear either in the plural or the neuter singular. Examples:
Двадцать пять опытных профессоров участвовали в конференции.
Twenty-five experienced professors participated in the conference..
Двадцать пять опытных профессоров участвовалo в конференции.
Twenty-five experienced professors participated in the conference..
If the number is preceded by an adjective in the nominative plural, only the plural form of the verb is possible:
Все двадцать пять профессоров свободно говорили на трёх языках.
All twenty-five professors spoke three languages fluently.
Accusative case
When a compound number occurs in object position (accusative case) and ends in 5 or a higher number, the noun and adjective that follows it appears in the genitive plural, just as it does with the plain numbers 5 and above. If the number has an adjective before it, and if the number quantifies an inanimate noun, the adjective form copies the nominative plural; if it quantifies an animative nouns, the adjective form copies the genitive plural. Examples:
Мы пригласили всех двадцать пять профессоров.
We invitied all twenty-five professors.
Мы продали все двадцать пять книг.
We sold all twenty-five books.
Oblique cases
When a compound number occurs in an oblique case and ends in 5 or a higher number, the noun and adjective that follows it appears in the oblique case's plural. Likewise the number occurs in that oblique case. An adjective before that number also occurs in that case's plural. Examples:
Gen
Редакция получила статьи от первых двадцати пяти профессоров.
The editorial board has received articles from the first twenty-five professors.
Pre
Мы поговорили о первых двадцати пяти статьях.
We spoke about the first twenty-five articles..
Dat
Редакция разослала платежи первым двадцати пяти профессорам.
The editorial board has sent payments to the first twenty-five professors.
Ins
Редакция уже закончила работу с первыми двадцатью пятью профессорами.
The editorial board has completed work with the first twenty-five professors.
Numbers 1000 and above
When a compound number includes the simple numbers 1,000 or 1,000,000 or 1,000,000,000 or similar numbers, that number may occur in the singular or plural, following the numerical logic of the phrase. That is, if there is only one thousand, the word thousand occurs in the singular. If there are two or more thousands, then the word thousand occurs in the plural. Similar logic applies to the numbers 1,000,000 or 1,000,000,000 or similar numbers. The case depends on its grammatical role.
Number phrases as the subject of the sentence
In compound numbers the last number determines whether quantified noun is singular or plural. It also determines verbal agreement. Examples:
Examples with 1000
Тысяча профессоров участвовала в конференции.
One thousand professors participated in the conference.
Тысяча один профессор участвовал в конференции.
One thousand one professors participated in the conference.
Тысяча два профессора участвовали в конференции.
One thousand two professors participated in the conference.
Тысяча пять профессоров участвовали в конференции.
One thousand five professors participated in the conference.
Тысяча пять профессоров участвовало в конференции.
One thousand five professors participated in the conference.
Examples with 2000
Две тысячи профессоров участвовали в конференции.
Two thousand professors participated in the conference.
Две тысячи профессоров участвовало в конференции.
Two thousand professors participated in the conference.
Две тысячи один профессор участвовал в конференции.
Two thousand one professors participated in the conference.
Две тысячи два профессора участвовали в конференции.
Two thousand two professors participated in the conference.
Две тысячи пять профессоров участвовали в конференции.
Two thousand five professors participated in the conference.
Examples with 5000
Пять тысяч профессоров участвовали в конференции.
Five thousand professors participated in the conference.
Пять тысяч профессоров участвовало в конференции.
Five thousand professors participated in the conference.
Пять тысяч один профессор участвовал в конференции.
Five thousand one professors participated in the conference.
Пять тысяч два профессора участвовали в конференции.
Five thousand two professors participated in the conference.
Пять тысяч пять профессоров участвовали в конференции.
Five thousand five professors participated in the conference.
Examples with 1,000,000
Ровно миллион долларов исчез в банке при восстании.
Exactly one million dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Ровно миллион один доллар исчез в банке при восстании.
Exactly one million one dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Ровно миллион два доллара исчезло в банке при восстании.
Exactly one million two dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Ровно миллион пять долларов исчезло в банке при восстании.
Exactly one million five dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Examples with 2,000,000
Ровно два миллиона долларов исчезло в банке при восстании.
Exactly two million dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Ровно два миллиона один доллар исчез в банке при восстании.
Exactly two million one dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Ровно два миллиона два доллара исчезло в банке при восстании.
Exactly two million two dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Ровно два миллиона пять долларов исчезло в банке при восстании.
Exactly two million five dollars vanished from the bank during the uprising.
Compound numbers in the accusative case
When compound numbers occur in the accusative case, only a final number 1 shows an animate/inanimate distinction. The numbers 2, 3 and 4 do not.
Библиотека купила тысячу два журнала.
The library bought a thousand and two magazines.
Зоопарк купил тысячу два скорпиона.
The zoo bought a thousand two scorpions.
Compound numbers in the oblique cases
When compound number phrases occur in oblique cases, every number, noun, and adjective in the phrase appears in that case. If the last number of the phrase is a form of 1, the following nouns and adjectives are in the singular; otherwise they are in the plural. If a form of 1,000 or 1,000,000 or a similar number occurs in the phrase, they are singular or plural according to the logic or the number.
Examples with 1,541
Gen
Его доход повысился до тысячи пятисот сорока одного доллара.
His income rose to one thousand five hundred forty one dollars.
Pre
Это явление наблюдается в тысяче пятистах сорока одной звезде.
This phenomenon is observed in one thousand five hundred forty one stars.
Dat
Это замечание относится к тысяче пятистам сорока одному селу.
This comment applies to one thousand five hundred forty one villages.
Ins
Мы заинтересовались тысячей пятистами сорока одним случаем взятничества.
We became interested in one thousand five hundred forty one instances of bribery.
Examples with 2,783
Gen
Его доход повысился до двух тысяч семисот сорока трёх долларов.
His income rose to two thousand seven hundred forty three dollars.
Pre
Это явление наблюдается в двух тысячax семисот сорока трёх звёздах.
This phenomenon is observed in two thousand seven hundred forty three stars.
Dat
Это замечание относится к двум тысячaм семистам сорока трём сёлам.
This comment applies to two thousand seven hundred forty three villages.
Ins
Мы заинтересовались двумя тысячaма семистам сорока тремя случаями взятничества.
We became interested in two thousand seven hundred forty three instances of bribery.
Examples with 5,432,298
Gen
Его доход повысился до пяти миллионов четырёхсот тридцати двух тысяч двухсот девяноста восьми долларов.
His income rose to 5,432,298 dollars.
Pre
Это явление наблюдается в пяти миллионах четырёхстах тридцати двух тысячах двухстах девяноста восьми звёздах.
This phenomenon is observed in 5,432,298 stars.
Dat
Это замечание относится к пяти миллионам четырёмстам тридцати двум тысячам двумстам девяноста восьми сёлам.
This comment applies to 5,432,298 villages.
Ins
Мы заинтересовались пятью миллионами четырьмястами тридцатью двумя тысячами двумястами девяноста восемью случаями взятничества.
We became interested in 5,432,298 instances of bribery.