Numbers 1-20 in Russian

Overview

Numbers 1 through 20 are among the first vocabulary items every Russian learner needs. At the A1 level, these numbers are essential for telling time, giving phone numbers, shopping, and discussing quantities. However, Russian numbers are more complex than their English counterparts because they interact with the noun case system.

The most important pattern to learn early is how numbers affect the noun that follows them. The number 1 takes a nominative singular noun, 2-4 take a genitive singular noun, and 5-20 take a genitive plural noun. This three-way split is one of the most distinctive features of Russian grammar and applies throughout the number system.

Additionally, the numbers 1 and 2 have gender forms: один/одна/одно (one) and два/две (two, masculine-neuter/feminine). Getting comfortable with these patterns now will make larger numbers and more complex quantity expressions much easier later.

How It Works

Numbers 1-20

Number	Russian	Number	Russian
1	один (m), одна (f), одно (n)	11	одиннадцать
2	два (m/n), две (f)	12	двенадцать
3	три	13	тринадцать
4	четыре	14	четырнадцать
5	пять	15	пятнадцать
6	шесть	16	шестнадцать
7	семь	17	семнадцать
8	восемь	18	восемнадцать
9	девять	19	девятнадцать
10	десять	20	двадцать

Number + Noun Agreement

Number	Case of Noun	Example
1	Nominative singular	один дом, одна книга
2, 3, 4	Genitive singular	два дома, три книги
5-20	Genitive plural	пять домов, десять книг

Gender of 1 and 2

Gender	"One"	"Two"
Masculine	один	два
Feminine	одна	две
Neuter	одно	два

Examples in Context

Russian	English	Note
один дом, одна книга, одно окно	one house, one book, one window	Gender agreement
два дома, две книги	two houses, two books	Genitive singular + gender
три студента	three students	Genitive singular
пять домов, пять книг	five houses, five books	Genitive plural
двенадцать студентов	twelve students	Genitive plural (5-20 rule)
У меня семь братьев.	I have seven brothers.	Genitive plural
Ей двадцать лет.	She is twenty years old.	Genitive plural (лет)
Мне нужны три рубля.	I need three rubles.	Genitive singular
один раз	one time	Masculine, nominative
Здесь пятнадцать человек.	There are fifteen people here.	Genitive plural

Common Mistakes

Forgetting gender for 1 and 2

• Wrong: один книга, два книги
• Right: одна книга, две книги
• Why: Один and два have feminine forms (одна, две) that must be used with feminine nouns.

Using nominative after all numbers

• Wrong: пять книга
• Right: пять книг (genitive plural)
• Why: Numbers 5-20 require genitive plural. This is a fundamental Russian pattern.

Confusing genitive singular (2-4) with genitive plural (5-20)

• Wrong: два домов (genitive plural) or пять дома (genitive singular)
• Right: два дома (gen. sg.) and пять домов (gen. pl.)
• Why: The 2-4 and 5-20 groups each require a different form of the noun.

Practice Tips

• Count objects around you in Russian, paying attention to the noun form: один стул, два стула, пять стульев.
• Practice age expressions, as they naturally use this pattern: Мне двадцать лет, ему три года, ей один год.

Related Concepts

• Next steps: Numbers 20-1000+ -- extending these patterns to larger numbers
• Next steps: Time Expressions -- numbers are essential for telling time
• Next steps: Ordinal Numbers -- first, second, third, etc.