Collective Numbers
Collective numbers are used when all members of a group are referred to by their number, like English all four wheels. Generally, for sets of more than a few elements, the word toţi / toate ("all", masculine / feminine) is used together with the cardinal number. The use of the demonstrative cei / cele is optional in the nominative-accusative, but required in the genitive-dative. The genitive-dative form is tuturor celor for both genders. In the following examples note that the modified noun always has the nominative form, and that the definite article goes to the demonstrative where it is used:
- nominative-accusative:
- masculine: toţi şapte piticii, toţi cei şapte pitici "all seven dwarfs";
- feminine: toate trei fiicele, toate cele trei fiice "all three daughters";
- genitive-dative:
- tuturor celor şapte pitici "of/to all seven dwarfs";
- tuturor celor trei fiice "of/to all three daughters";
- genitive (another pattern, using the preposition a):
- numele a toţi şapte piticii, numele a toţi cei şapte pitici "the names of all seven dwarfs";
- numele a toate trei fiicele, numele a toate cele trei fiice "the names of all three daughters";
- dative (another pattern, using the preposition la):
- le-am spus la toţi şapte piticii, le-am spus la toţi cei şapte pitici "I told all seven dwarfs";
- le-am spus la toate trei fiicele, le-am spus la toate cele trei fiice "I told all three daughters".
Read more about this topic: Romanian Numbers
Famous quotes containing the words collective and/or numbers:
“We attempt to remember our collective American childhood, the way it was, but what we often remember is a combination of real past, pieces reshaped by bitterness and love, and, of course, the video past—the portrayals of family life on such television programs as “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best” and all the rest.”
—Richard Louv (20th century)
“I had a feeling that out there, there were very poor people who didn’t have enough to eat. But they wore wonderfully colored rags and did musical numbers up and down the streets together.”
—Jill Robinson (b. 1936)