Часы
The word часы means a watch or a clock. It has no singular form, only plural; such nouns that lack singulars we label “pluralia tantum.” It declines likes this:
| Pl | |
| Nom | часы |
| Acc | |
| Gen | часов |
| Pre | часах |
| Dat | часам |
| Ins | часами |
Since the word only has plural forms, the pronouns that refer to it must also by in the plural:
| Какие красивые часы! Где ты их купил? | What a beautiful watch! Where did you buy it? |
| Я раньше не носил часов, но теперь я жить без них не могу. | I didn't use to wear a watch, but now I can't live without one. |
| — Сколько сейчас времени? — По моим часам уже два часа, но они часто отстают. Может быть и попозже. |
“What time is it?” “It's already two o'clock according to my watch, but it often runs slow so it might be a bit later.” |
| Мне нужны новые часы, мои старые всегда спешат. | I need a new wach. My old one always runs fast. |
Since the word only occurs in the plural, you might wonder how to say “one watch.” Easy: you use the plural of the number one!
| — Сколько ты купил часов? — Только одни часы и два ремешка к ним. |
“How many watches did you buy?” “Just one watch and two watchbands to go with it.” |
If you are talking about two, three, or four watches, then двое, трое and четверо can be used:
| Наша семья очень любит часы. У меня двое часов, у брата трое часов, а у сестры целых четверо. | Our family really likes watches. I have two watches. My brother has three watches, and my sister has no less than four.¹ |
These collective numbers don't combine very well with the other ordinal numbers. That is, don't try to say something like:
| двадцать одни часы | twenty-one watches |
| двадцать двое часов | twenty-two watches |
| двадцать трое часов | twenty-three watches |
| двадцать четверо часов | twenty-four watches |
In these circumstances it is best to add the word штука ‘unit’ to the phrase:
| Наш клуб купил двадцать одну штуку подарочных часов. | Our club purchased twenty-one watches. |
| Наш клуб купил двадцать две штуки часов | Our club purchased twenty-two watches. |
| Наш клуб купил двадцать три штуки часов | Our club purchased twenty-three watches. |
| Наш клуб купил двадцать четыре штуки часов | Our club purchased twenty-four watches. |
Some Russians allow the use of the word пара ‘pair’ in place of штука:
| Наш клуб купил двадцать одну пару часов. | Our club purchased twenty-one watches. |
| Наш клуб купил двадцать две пары часов | Our club purchased twenty-two watches. |
| Наш клуб купил двадцать три пары часов | Our club purchased twenty-three watches. |
| Наш клуб купил двадцать четыре пары часов | Our club purchased twenty-four watches. |
I say “some Russians” because to some other Russians that type of phrase sounds like просторечье “substandard speech” (see Rosenthal's commentary). If you want to be sure you sound okay, use the штука approach.
¹ Yes, yes, I know that one properly is supposed to say “no fewer than four,” but frankly “no less than four” is the way most Americans will say it nowadays, even educated ones. “No fewer than four” sounds forced and unnatural, as if someone with a mediocre education is trying to prove that he isn't ignorant.
No feedback yet
Form is loading...