Thread: I don't understand.

I am reading this phrase right now...
он смотрит на двух врачей. Why is this sentence in the genetive plural instead of genetive singular?

It only takes the genetive singular in the nominative or accusative case. This is in the accusative case but it is animate, therefore it's declined as the genetive plural.

Don't worry, someone else will explain it better.

In oblique cases, nouns agree with their numerals in number and case.

Although my Russian is basic, I wasn't too happy to ask this very basic question because it's something I already thought I knew well. I learned my introduction through GOLOSA books 1 and 2 and golosa actually dodges explaining 2, 3, 4 that aren't in nominative or accusative (inanimate).

Anyway, thanks basurero and challenger. Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by uno

Although my Russian is basic, I wasn't too happy to ask this very basic question because it's something I already thought I knew well. I learned my introduction through GOLOSA books 1 and 2 and golosa actually dodges explaining 2, 3, 4 that aren't in nominative or accusative (inanimate).

Anyway, thanks basurero and challenger. Thank you very much.

In the oblique cases the noun after the number also matches the number's case:

три стола - genitive sig.
с тремя столами - intrumental plu.

А теперь у меня возникает простой вопрос.


три красных стола
четыре хорошеньких девушки

правильно ли?

It's alright.

You can also say: Четыре хорошенькие девушки.

Really? Is this the genetive singular or the plural?

Oh, I missed something...

If you're speaking of Genetive, then it must be: Четырёх хорошеньких девушек. Just form a question "who?" My example was about Nominative. Sorry for confusing.

I think I confused... in this sentance "Четыре хорошенькие девушки", is the девушки in the plural or in the genitive singular? In that case the adjective would'nt agree with the noun, or would it?

It's nominative plural. "Four" is not "one."

But what about that number rule:

одна девочка, две девочки, три девочки, четыре девочки, пять девочек. один мальчик, два мальчика, три мальчика, четыре мальчика, пять мальчиков.

I think I'm missing something.

Originally Posted by basurero

But what about that number rule:

одна девочка, две девочки, три девочки, четыре девочки, пять девочек. один мальчик, два мальчика, три мальчика, четыре мальчика, пять мальчиков.

I think I'm missing something.

It's a lie. Sort of.

Because masculine goes into the gen. sig. after 2,3,4 and the nominative plural of feminine nouns looks the same as the genitive singular they say it also is the genitive singular. But when you use adjectives that's when you can see it's actually the nom. plural.

In Ukrainian, if you are interested, masculine nouns also go into the nom. plu:

один стіл
два столи

Ах понятно. Наконец-то, правда обнаруживается! Нас учат слишком многим басням!

Originally Posted by basurero

Ах понятно. Наконец-то, правда обнаруживается! Нас учат слишком многим басням!

Щ - "Fresh cheese"

LOL, you should have seen my embarrassment when I said the word защищать to a Russian!!!!

Originally Posted by basurero

LOL, you should have seen my embarrassment when I said the word защищать to a Russian!!!!

Za-freshcheesy-freshcheese-at.