Step 1 of 6

Numbers

In Bosnian, noun forms after numbers follow clear patterns: after 1 use the dictionary form with jedan / jedna / jedno; after 2-4 use special forms (e.g., dva grada, dvije mačke); after 5+ use genitive plural (pet gradova, deset mačaka).

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The noun changes with the number in front of it

A noun is the thing you count: city, book, child. In English, the number word usually stays the same (two, five), and the noun changes a little (city -> cities). In Bosnian, both parts matter: the number word can change (dva vs dvije), and the noun ending also changes based on the number and the noun’s gender. For example with "city": jedan grad, dva grada, pet gradova.

This lesson walks through those patterns step by step. Knowing noun gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) tells you which path the noun follows after each number.

Same noun the whole way — “city” (grad). Only the numeral and the noun ending change: grad → grada for 2–4 → gradova from 5 onward.

One noun: grad “city” (Bosnian → English)

  • 1

    jedan grad

    one city — noun in the dictionary shape (grad)

  • 2

    dva grada

    two cities — noun grada (genitive singular)

  • 3

    tri grada

    three cities — still grada with 3 and 4

  • 4

    četiri grada

    four cities — same noun shape as two and three

  • 5

    pet gradova

    five cities — noun switches to gradova (genitive plural)

Three bands for the noun after the number: after 1 → looks like the usual singular (grad, knjiga, dijete). After 2, 3, 4 → special shapes (often -a on masculine like grada, or feminine patterns like mačke). After 5+ → genitive plural (gradova, mačaka).

Bosnische Zahlen lernen - Interaktive Grammatik