Basic fractions (половина, треть, четверть)

Fractions as Nouns

In Russian, the most common basic fractions are regular feminine nouns:

  • половина (a half)
  • треть (a third)
  • четверть (a quarter)

Because they are nouns, you connect them to the thing being divided using the Genitive case (equivalent to saying "a half of the budget").

We spend a third of the budget on advertising.
Мы тратим треть бюджета на рекламу.
A quarter of the shares belongs to the shareholder.
Четверть акций принадлежит акционеру.

Fractions in Different Cases

Since these fractions are regular nouns, they change case depending on their role in the sentence. For example, when used as a direct object, половина changes to its Accusative form (половину).

Because треть and четверть are feminine nouns ending in a soft sign, their Accusative forms look exactly the same as their dictionary forms.

In a month, we will return a third of the sum.
Через месяц мы вернём треть суммы.

Talking About Shares

When discussing business, property, or resources, you will also frequently use the word доля (share or portion). Just like the fractions, it is a feminine noun followed by the Genitive case.

In a year, the owner will receive his share of the property.
Через год владелец получит свою долю имущества.

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