Learning to count is one of the first steps in studying any language. But knowing the numbers is one thing; knowing how to use them in sentences is another. For students of Russian, this can be particularly challenging, as some numbers follow the language's rules for grammatical gender, while others affect the forms of the nouns that follow them.
In this article, we'll explore the names of numbers in Russian, how grammatical gender comes into play, and how numbers influence the nouns they're used with.
Russian Numbers from 0-10
The best way to learn Russian numbers is to start with the basics. We'll begin with zero and work our way up to ten, building a foundation for understanding and using larger numbers as you progress.
| 🔢 Number | 📖 In Russian | 🔠 Romanised | 🔊 Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ноль | nolʹ | |
| 1 | один | odin | |
| 2 | два | dva | |
| 3 | три | tri | |
| 4 | четыре | chetyre | |
| 5 | пять | pyat' | |
| 6 | шесть | shest' | |
| 7 | семь | sem' | |
| 8 | восемь | vosem' | |
| 9 | девять | devyat' | |
| 10 | десять | desyat' |
Later in this article, we'll explore how Russian numbers change when used with different nouns and how they affect the forms of the nouns that follow them. For now, focus on getting familiar with the numbers in the table and practising their pronunciation and rhythm.
Until the 17th century, Russians did not use 0 in their numerical transactions. As they used an abacus for calculating, they had no need for placeholders. When Hindu-Arabic numbers made their way to Russia, the null-value was introduced due to the need for a placeholder.
The early Russian term for 'zero' was цифра (tsifra), derived from the Arabic word meaning 'empty' (sifr). Over time, Russians came to interpret tsifra as 'digit' or 'number', with ноль (nol’) then representing 'zero'.
You might use the Russian 'zero' in the same ways you use 'zero' in English: for phone numbers and to describe temperatures. For instance, Ниже нуля (Nizhe nulya) means 'below zero'.
Russian Numbers From 11-19
In English, the numbers between 10 and 20 seem disorganised; 'eleven' and 'twelve' don't follow the '-teen' pattern that makes the other numbers distinctive. By contrast, this group of Russian numbers is logical to a fault.
Digits 1-9 receive the suffix -надцать (nadsat'), which identifies it as a '-teen' number.
Based on its proto-Slavic roots, that suffix translates to 'on ten'.
Thus, every Russian number between 10 and 20 is 'number' + 'on ten'. As you've already mastered numbers 1-10 in Russian, you'll have no trouble picking these up, as well.
| 🔢 Number | 📖 In Russian | 🔠 Romanisation | 🔊 Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | одиннадцать | odinnadtsat' | |
| 12 | двенадцать | dvenadtsat' | |
| 13 | тринадцать | trinadtsat' | |
| 14 | четырнадцать | chetyrnadtsat' | |
| 15 | пятнадцать | pyatnadtsat' | |
| 16 | шестнадцать | shestnadtsat' | |
| 17 | семнадцать | semnadtsat' | |
| 18 | восемнадцать | vosemnadtsat' | |
| 19 | девятнадцать | devyatnadtsat' |
You'll note that 'two' (два - dva) changes its spelling when it becomes a teen, but only to 'dve' - the number's grammatically feminine form. The reasons for this are historical and far beyond the scope of this article. You only need to remember that dvenadtsat' will remain 'feminine', even if the noun that follows it is grammatically male1.
Other changes to the '-надцать' (-teen) numbers are for pronunciation's sake more than for any historical reason. You should make note of them in case you're tested on these numbers' spelling.
Changes to fourteen
- chetyre to chetyr-
- The four's final '-e' falls away, making the pronunciation crisper.
Changes to numbers 15 - 19
The 'ь' (soft sign) doesn't feature, likewise making pronunciation crisp.
In Russian as in many other languages, it's common to drop letters to smooth out pronunciation; 'comb' is a fine example of such in English. In Russian, names for family members often get this treatment, particularly in slang or informal forms.
Counting in Russian from 20 - 100
Up to now, Russian numbers follow logical patterns; this is where the logic falls apart - but only a little bit. These are the numbers that break any semblance of a pattern.
Twenty
двадцать (dvadtsat')
Thirty
тридцать (tridtsat')
Forty
сорок (sorok)
Where the first two numbers at least bear some reference to their root value (dva; tri), 40 loses the plot completely. This number's origin2 tracks back to the days of furriers and trappers, when 40 sable pelts were called сорокь (sorokŭ).
We might compare this word to our use of 'bushel', a specific measure of agricultural produce. Knowing why 40 is сорок in Russian is a great mnemonic to help you remember that challenging number. And you'll be cheered to know that, past the 40s, Russian number logic reasserts itself.
The numbers 50, 60, 70, and 80 all receive -десят after the cardinal number.
50: пятьдесят pyat'desyat
60: шестьдесят shest'desyat
70: семьдесят sem'desyat
80: восемьдесят vosem'desyat
The number 90 (девяносто - devyanosto) again breaks the pattern. On this, even etymology dictionaries have no explanation, so we can't offer one, either. However, we can end this section on a high note, with the number 100: сто (sto). It's as simple as it sounds, a leftover from very early Slavic tongues.
Counting in Russian: How to Build Compound Numbers
With single digits and 'the tens' now familiar, we can set about combining them to make a variety of numbers. Doing so is as simple as in English: 'tens' value + single value.
шестьдесят три яблока
shest'desyat tri yabloka
сорок четыре кошки
sorok chetyre koshki
двадцать девять лет
dvadtsat' devyat' let
девяносто девять кирпичей
devyanosto devyat' kirpichey
тридцать шесть яиц
tridtsat' shest' yaits
How Numbers in Russian Change With Gender
Grammatical gendering makes Russian a difficult language to master. Like many languages (but not English), Russian sorts its nouns into masculine, feminine, and neuter categories. Gendering is more important to other parts of speech, such as determiners and adjectives. Where numbers are concerned, only 'one' and 'two' change form.
How 'one' changes
- один (odín) - gender masculine
- одна (odná) - gender feminine
- одно (odnó) - gender neuter
How 'two' changes
- два (dva) - genders masculine and neuter
- две (dve) - gender feminine
These numbers change their grammatical gender to accord with the noun they describe. If the following noun is feminine, the number becomes feminine. If the following noun is masculine, the number will also be masculine.
As cats can be male or female, they deliver the perfect conditions to demonstrate the number change according to gender.
одна кошка
odna koshka
один кот
odin kot
две кошки
dve koshki
два кота
dva kota
Fortunately, all other Russian numbers remain unaffected by grammatical gender. We can't say the same for days and dates in Russian, though. Did you know that, in Russian, all the months are masculine, and the weekdays are half masculine and half feminine gender?
What Happens to Nouns After Russian Numbers?
Some numbers do not affect their following nouns at all, but others do. Without going too deeply into Russian grammar, this section lays out the change patterns for specific numbers in Russian. Because we're now well-acquainted with 'cat' in Russian, we'll extend their service to demonstrate these changes.
Example 2: шестьдесят один кот / shest'desyat odin kot
Example 1: двадцать три кошки / dvadtsat' tri koshki
Example 2: пятьдесят четыре кошки / pyat'desyat chetyre koshki
Example 1: сорок девять кошек / sorok devyat' koshek
Example 2: двенадцать кошек / dvenadtsat' koshek
These number patterns present a special case of the number affecting the noun beyond changing it from singular to plural. For all other numbers, the situation is reversed: the noun affects the number's grammatical case4. That will be a topic for you and your Russian tutor to explore; it's far too weighty for this page.
Counting in Russian: Exercising Your Knowledge
Admittedly, the previous chapter was grammatically intensive; perhaps much more so than the beginner lessons you've already had. And we haven't even addressed any number beyond 100 or ordinal numbers - first, second, third, and so on. Still, the short lesson above proves that simply dropping a number in base form doesn't work in Russian.
Now, with the learning done, it's time to get to work. Just like mastering the degrees of formality to use when greeting people in Russian, practice is the best remedy for beginner Russian speakers. These questions will help you review what you know and point you to where you need a bit more practice.
Learning numbers in Russian is vital if you plan to visit or live and work in Russia. You'll need to know how to use numbers when you shop, dine out, and negotiate lease agreements or pay for your hotel stay.
Besides, practising Russian numbers will help you build pronunciation skills. Spoken Russian is notoriously complex, as it features many sounds that English doesn't have. So, building your comfort zone with a familiar group of words like numbers can also help build your confidence in speaking Russian.
References
- Macedo, Lorena. “Your Ultimate Guide to Russian Numbers: How to Count in Russian.” The Blog for Language Lovers | Lingopie.Com, 18 Aug. 2024, lingopie.com/blog/your-ultimate-guide-to-russian-numbers-how-to-count-in-russian/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.
- Starostin, S. Vasmer’s Dictionary: Forty. 2014, starlingdb.org/cgi-bin/response.cgi?root=config&basename=%2fdata%2fie%2fvasmer&text_word=%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA&ww_word=on&method_word=beginning. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.
- Learning Russian. “Russian Lesson - Agreement of Nouns With Numbers.” Learningrussian.Net, 2026, learningrussian.net/russian-grammar/russian-nouns/agreement-with-numbers.php. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.
- Elon. “Declining the Numerals Themselves.” Elon.Io, 2026, elon.io/grammar/russian/numbers/grammar/declension-of-numerals. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.
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