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### Counting plural-only nouns

Like English, Polish has nouns that only exist in the plural, such as scissors, pants, or doors. You cannot count them using standard numbers. Instead, Polish uses two specific methods depending on the object.

### Using the measure word "para"

For items with two symmetrical parts (like clothing for the legs or certain hand tools), count them using the noun **para** (pair).

{{item:1018201}}

Use standard numbers with the word **para**, followed by the plural-only noun in the genitive case. Because **para** is a regular feminine noun, its form changes based on the number:

- **jedna para** (1 pair)
- **dwie / trzy / cztery pary** (2, 3, 4 pairs)
- **pięć par** (5+ pairs, or with quantities like "ile")

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### Using collective numerals

For plural-only nouns that don't naturally form a "pair"—like violins (**skrzypce**), doors (**drzwi**), or sleighs (**sanie**)—use **collective numerals**. 

The most common are **dwoje** (two) and **troje** (three). Just like with *para*, the noun that follows the collective numeral takes the genitive case.

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Counting plural-only nouns (dwoje, para)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

predicative

preposition

pronoun

proper noun

sentence

verb

This is (to jest)

The verb to be, singular (być)

Formal address (Pan, Pani)

Demonstrative pronouns (ten, ta, to)

Adjective agreement

Negation (nie)

Basic questions (czy, kto, co, gdzie, jak)

The verb to be, plural (być)

Present tense -m/-sz verbs

Reflexive verbs (się)

Coordinating conjunctions (i, a, ale)

Feminine direct objects (Accusative)

Inanimate direct objects (Accusative)

Animate masculine direct objects (Accusative)

Present tense verbs 2 (-ę, -isz / -ysz)

Expressing location (w, na)

Locative adjective agreement

Professions and nationalities (Instrumental)

Accompaniment (z + Instrumental)

Present tense verbs 3 (-ę, -esz)

Plural possessives (nasz, wasz)

Numbers 1 to 10

Genitive of possession

Genitive of negation

Lack or absence (nie ma)

Basic quantifiers (dużo, mało, trochę)

Liking things (podoba mi się)

Modal verbs (móc, musieć)

Subordinating conjunctions (bo, że)

Unidirectional motion verbs (iść, jechać)

Expressing age (mieć... lat)

Habitual motion (chodzić, jeździć)

Expressing destination (do)

Days of the week (poniedziałek, wtorek...)

Plural nouns for objects and animals

Plural nouns for people

Plural adjective agreement

Accusative object pronouns (go, ją, je...)

The past tense of to be (był)

Singular past tense (-łem, -łam...)

Expressing age (mieć + lata / lat)

Plural past tense (-li / -ły)

Perfective past tense

Future tense (będę + infinitive)

Age: one year (mieć rok)

Prices and currency (złoty, grosz)

Destination (na + accusative)

Non-masculine plurals (-e, -y, -i)

Instrumental pronouns (ze mną, z tobą)

To know (znać vs wiedzieć)

The future perfective tense

The imperative mood

Months of the year (styczeń, luty)

Greetings and farewells (dzień dobry, cześć)

Introducing yourself (mam na imię)

Thank you and sorry (dziękuję, przepraszam)

Left, right, up and down (po lewej stronie)

Parts of the body (ręka, noga)

Parts of the day (dzień, noc, południe)

What is it like? (jaki, jaka, jakie)

Speaking Polish (mówić po polsku)

Instrumental for adjectives (dobrym, dobrą)

Please do... (proszę + infinitive)

Interests (interesować się + Instrumental)

Can one? (można, trzeba, nie wolno)

By bus or by train (jechać autobusem)

Where are you from? (jestem z Polski)

Where exactly? (obok, przy, przed, za, pod, nad)

What time is it? (Która godzina?)

Not seeing her (go, jej, ich; niego, niej, nich)

When I have time (kiedy as a conjunction)

Irregular past stems (miał, mieli)

The verb 'iść' in the past (szedł, szli)

Imperfective future (będę odpoczywał)

Past aspect (robił vs zrobił)

Future aspect (będzie malował vs pomaluje)

Perfective motion with po- (pójść, pojechać)

Arrival verbs with przy- (przyjść, przyjechać)

Departure verbs with wy- (wyjść, wyjechać)

The Vocative case (Panie, Mamo)

Plural possessives (moi, moje)

Reflexive possessive pronouns (swój)

Genitive plural of masculine nouns (-ów, -y, -i)

Genitive plural of feminine and neuter nouns

Genitive plural of adjectives (-ych, -ich)

Accusative plural of masculine personal nouns

Question	Answer
pair	para
jeans	dżinsy
I must buy two pairs of jeans.	Muszę kupić dwie pary dżinsów.
shorts	szorty
How many pairs of shorts do you have?	Ile masz par szortów?
scissors	nożyczki
She bought three pairs of scissors.	Kupiła trzy pary nożyczek.
Where did you leave these two pairs of scissors?	Gdzie zostawiłeś te dwie pary nożyczek?
violin	skrzypce
They have two violins at home.	Mają w domu dwoje skrzypiec.
The musician sold three violins.	Muzyk sprzedał troje skrzypiec.
tights	rajstopy
I have only one pair of black tights.	Mam tylko jedną parę czarnych rajstop.
I bought five pairs of thick tights for winter.	Kupiłam pięć par grubych rajstop na zimę.
sleigh	sanie
We ordered two sleighs for the winter trip.	Zamówiliśmy dwoje sań na zimową wycieczkę.
Three sleighs stood in front of the hotel.	Przed hotelem stało troje sań.
rake	grabie
The farmer lost two rakes.	Rolnik zgubił dwoje grabi.
You must buy three rakes for the garden.	Musisz kupić troje grabi do ogrodu.
handcuffs	kajdanki
The policeman has two pairs of handcuffs.	Policjant ma dwie pary kajdanek.
He stole three pairs of handcuffs.	Ukradł trzy pary kajdanek.
pliers (general term)	szczypce
I need one pair of pliers.	Potrzebuję jednej pary szczypiec.
The mechanic bought two pairs of pliers.	Mechanik kupił dwie pary szczypiec.
The manager said to close these two doors.	Kierownik kazał pozamykać te dwoje drzwi.
Are you buying these two pairs of jeans?	Czy państwo kupują te dwie pary dżinsów?
If it weren't for the crisis, the musician would buy two violins.	Gdyby nie kryzys, muzyk kupiłby dwoje skrzypiec.
The thief wanted to hide these three pairs of handcuffs.	Złodziej chciał pochować te trzy pary kajdanek.
I want to buy two pairs of new shorts.	Chcę kupić dwie pary nowych szortów.