Lesson 3 Grammar: Using Numbers
Let’s learn numbers in Slovak. After all, it’s not much good asking how much something costs, if you don’t know what the answer means. You will find the full list (with audio) of Slovak numbers in the vocabulary section. But here are few of them:
jeden (1)
dva (2)
tri (3)
štyri (4)
päť (5)
päťnásť (15)
dvadsať (20)
Let’s use these in some sentences. Let’s go back to the sentence from the dialog, koľko stojí káva? (how much for coffee?):
You: Koľko stojí káva?
Cheap restaurant: Káva stojí jedno euro
Less cheap restaurant: Káva stojí dve eurá
Not a cheap restaurant: Káva stojí tri eurá
Definitely not a cheap restaurant: Káva stojí štyri eurá
Expensive restaurant: Káva stojí päť eur
Really really expensive restaurant: Káva stojí dvädsať eur
Alright, what’s going on here?! I just told you that one and two are jeden and dva, respectively, but I used jedno and dve in the example. Typo? Nope, these two numbers change their form based on the gender of the noun they refer to. The forms for one are jeden, jedna, and jedno for masculine, feminine and neuter nouns, respectively. Since the word euro is neuter, we use jedno. For two you have dvaja for living masculine nouns and dve otherwise. Ok, what about dva? This form is used only as the numeral, when counting. In all practical sentences you will use one of the other two forms.
The word dollar, dolár, is masculine. On the other hand, Libra, the British pound, and koruna (crown), the currency in the Czech republic and formerly also in Slovakia, are feminine. Here are few examples for you to practice numbers with:
Hranolky stoja dva doláre (French fries cost two dollars)
Hamburger stojí päť dolárov (Hamburger costs five dollars)
Polievka stojí štyri libri (Soup costs four dollars)
Coca-cola stojí pätnáť českých korún (Coke costs 15 Czech crowns)
Any questions or something not clear? Just leave a comment and I’ll get back to you in a day or two.
I know you want it make grammatically correct
Here is a real language (kind of Slovak slang) just to make sure that folks when exposed to it will understand.
Instead of “Koľko stojí káva?”
You would most likely hear “Koľko je káva” alebo “Koľko je za kávu”
The same for the rest:
Instead of “Hranolky stoja dva doláre” you would likely hear “Hranolky su dva doláre”
or instead of “Hamburger stojí päť dolárov” you will hear “Hamburger je päť dolárov”
But you are doing good!!
Libry = pounds
I am confused
Hranolky stoja dva doláre You said that dva is used only as a nmberal so why isn’t this
Hranolky stoja dvE doláre ?
dakujem pekne. John Bartko
Sorry for the confusion. Dva is also used when referring to masculine nouns. The word dolár is masculine, hence dva. But honestly, don’t let this bother you too much – unless you are trying to impress a Slovak grammar teacher. This is a microscopic detail that most people will not even notice.
Lubos says:
“Sorry for the confusion. Dva is also used when referring to masculine nouns. The word dolár is masculine, hence dva. But honestly, don’t let this bother you too much – unless you are trying to impress a Slovak grammar teacher. This is a microscopic detail that most people will not even notice.”
Don’t even go there
Complexity of Slovak language grammar rules may become overwhelming even for native Slovaks, though it’s easier for them as they don’t think much about it. For a person who did not grow up with Slovak language as a “native tongue”, it may be “mission impossible” to be grammatically correct all the time.
Gender, tense, singular/plural, possessives, etc, in combination of all rules … ouch. But that does not preclude one to be able to communicate rather well, even when not all gram rules are not followed.
Let me see.
“mam dva dollare” .. (I have two dollars) nonspecific gender of owner
“ona ma dvoch psov” (she has two dogs) female gender neutral target
“on mal dvoch psov” (he had two dogs) male owner past tense neutral target
“dvaja psi ziju s nou” (two dogs live with her)
“dvaja priatelia kupili dvoch psov za dva dolare” (two friends bought two dogs for two dollars)
“Dva dni sa prechadzal s dvoma psami” (For two days he walked with two dogs)
Any native Slovak speaking person wants to describe all the grammar rules? 🙂
Miro, and Lubo,
You two could open up Slovak Grammar’s Pandora’s Box! Be careful! 🙂 Here is one funny thought- around Podpolanie (especially!) and at school, one would automatically say “dve piva.” But the dialects in the Spis, and I am sure the Saris, areas cause you to constantly hear “dva piva, prosim!” If you are a “Slovencinar” (one who teaches Slovak or studies its grammatical, inflexive, morphological qualities and complexities), this will grate your ears. If you are drinking away in Poprad or SNV, this will keep your bill down (as you will be taken as hometown…. :-P).
Lubo, vynikajucu stranku tu mas! Velmi sa mi paci!
Ben
sorry for the typo nmberal obviously should be numeral.
Is this true for traja/tri as well? Must be male and living to use traja, otherwise tri?
Also animals get the neuter when they become plural right? So it must just be for humans?
Does this apply to štyri/štyria also?
That’s right. For instance, traja chlapi (three men) but tri ženy (three women). Same is true with other nubmers, štyria chlapi but štyri ženy, piati chlapi but päť žien, etc…
Thank you, Lubos. Very helpful…one question though. Why does one say “Dva psy”? Is it because in plural “pes” becomes inanimate masculine…So inanimate masculine does not get get “dvaja” but “dva” instead?
Good point. I think the different rule applies only to human living creatures. So “dogs” (psy) is still conjugated using the inanimate declension.
Thank you again for all of your help, Lubos. I think I am starting to get it. Perhaps I can post some examples of how I think it goes and you can correct them if I make any mistakes.
Male (human): Jeden muž je vysoký – Dvaja/Traja/Štyria muži sú vysokí – Päť mužov je vysokých.
Male (inanimate): Jeden pes je čierny – Dva/Tri/Štyri psy sú čierne – Päť psov je čiernych.
Female: Jedna žena je krásna – Dve/Tri/Štyri ženy sú krásne – Päť žien je krásnych.
Neuter: Jedno auto je červené – Dve/Tri/Štyri autá sú červená – Päť áut je červených.
Are these correct?
hockeyman, it’s probably typo but Dve/Tri/Štyri autá sú červene.
Your examples also show another complication; that plurals can change with 5 or more:
‘euro’ > ‘eurá’ > ‘eur’, and ‘pes’ > ‘psy’ > ‘psov’.
Is this common, and why do they? The combinations just keep multiplying!!
It’s called declension; slovak has 7 cases so up to 7 possible endings for nouns/pronouns/etc.