Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| два | dva | [ˈdva] (narrow) | masculine, neuter |
| дво́е | dvóje | collective | |
| дво́йка | dvójka | feminine |
The word is used as a cardinal number to denote the quantity of two. Its specific form depends on the gender of the noun it describes and whether you are using a collective sense.
Which one should you use?
The form два is used when referring to masculine or neuter gender nouns. However, for feminine nouns, you should use две. The collective form дво́е is used with certain masculine nouns denoting people, such as 'children' or 'men' or with nouns that only exist in the plural.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In addition to the gender-specific forms два (masculine/neuter) and две (feminine), the form двух is used when the number two is in the genitive or accusative case. For example, you would use двух in a sentence like 'I saw two people'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dva.
Did you know?
- The word дво́йка refers to the number two, but it is also the common name for the grade '2' in school, which is considered a failing mark in Russia.
- The word два shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'two' and the Latin 'duo', coming from the Proto-Indo-European root *dwóh₁.
- When speaking of a 'couple' in a romantic sense, Russians often avoid the number два and instead use the word пара, which is a cognate of the English word 'pair'.
Examples in context
- У нас два сына.We have two sons.This sentence uses два to show the quantity of sons.Tatoeba #2816174 by marafon, translation #2929975 by Gulo_Luscus
- Я пел два часа.I sang for two hours.This sentence uses два to indicate a duration of two hours.Tatoeba #3671429 by sharptoothed, translation #1098515 by cntrational
- Я ждал два дня.I waited for two days.This sentence uses два to indicate a duration of two days.Tatoeba #12296937 by marafon, translation #12200320 by Miktsoanit
- две книгиTwo books
- пара часовTwo hours
- 1798 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrey and Anastasia are checking a restaurant bill.
- Андрей AndreyЗдесь всего два кофе.Zdes' vsego dva kofe.There are only two coffees here.
- Анастасия AnastasiaДа, и два десерта.Da, i dva deserta.Yes, and two desserts.
- Андрей AndreyЭто правильно.Eto pravil'no.That is correct.
- Анастасия AnastasiaТогда я плачу.Togda ya plachu.Then I will pay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “two” translations and entries два, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries два, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
