When tracking inventory or discussing bulk shipments, you will frequently group goods using numerical nouns.
Numerical Nouns and the Genitive Plural
Words like десяток (ten), дюжина (a dozen), and сотня (a hundred) are nouns, not standard numerals. The items they count always take the Genitive plural case, similar to saying "a dozen of cups."
Because десяток is a masculine inanimate noun, its Accusative form (for direct objects) is identical to its Nominative form.
| We still need to buy ten eggs. | Нам всё же нужно купить десяток яиц. |
Дюжина is a regular feminine noun. When it is the direct object of a verb, it changes to дюжину in the Accusative case. The items being counted remain in the Genitive plural.
| I ordered a dozen cups for the cafe. | Я заказал дюжину чашек для кафе. |
Defective Goods and Write-offs
When managing a warehouse, you will inevitably deal with бракованный (defective) items. The verb used to remove these from your inventory is списать (to write off).
| We need to write off a dozen defective phones. | Нам надо списать дюжину бракованных телефонов. |
Hundreds and Stocktaking
Like дюжина, the word сотня is a feminine noun. It is often used when estimating large quantities, especially around an инвентаризация (stocktaking or inventory check). Watch how сотня takes the Nominative case when it is the subject, but becomes сотню when it is the direct object.
| There are a hundred empty boxes in the warehouse. | На складе сотня пустых коробок. |
| We bought a hundred new computers before the stocktaking. | Мы купили сотню новых компьютеров до инвентаризации. |
Wholesale vs. Retail
Business purchasing distinguishes between оптовый (wholesale) and розничный (retail). You will often see these adjectives paired with nouns like закупка (purchase or procurement).
| The wholesale purchase of goods will start tomorrow. | Оптовая закупка товаров начнётся завтра. |
| The retail price is significantly higher. | Розничная цена значительно выше. |
Checking the Remainders
After a bulk purchase or stocktaking, you must account for the остаток (remainder or balance). This is frequently used in the plural (остатки) to refer to remaining stock or leftover items.
| After the purchase, we will check the remainders. | После закупки мы проверим остатки. |
Notice how these concepts come together. The numerical noun takes the Accusative case, while the adjective and noun that follow it take the Genitive plural:
| The director decided to write off a hundred old computers. | Директор решил списать сотню старых компьютеров. |