Quantifiers and the Genitive Plural
When talking about large, small, or unknown quantities of countable items, Russian uses the quantifiers много (many / a lot), мало (few / not many), and сколько (how many).
Just like numbers 5 and above, these quantifiers require the following noun—and any adjectives attached to it—to take the genitive plural.
Много (Many)
Use много to express a large quantity of something. Notice how both the adjective and the noun take the genitive plural ending.
| We have many good candidates. | У нас есть много хороших кандидатов. |
| There are many details in this program. | В этой программе много деталей. |
Сколько (How many)
When asking a question about the quantity of countable objects or people, start with сколько followed immediately by the genitive plural noun.
| How many participants are here today? | Сколько участников здесь сегодня? |
| How many volunteers do you need? | Сколько волонтёров вам нужно? |
Мало (Few)
Use мало when you want to emphasize that a quantity is small, insufficient, or less than expected.
| There are few resources here for this project. | Здесь мало ресурсов для этого проекта. |
| We have few chances, but we want to play. | У нас мало шансов, но мы хотим играть. |
Contrasting Quantities
You will often see these quantifiers used together to contrast different amounts or explain situations regarding events, resources, and attendance.
| There are few resources here, but many volunteers. | Здесь мало ресурсов, но много волонтёров. |
| This is a very interesting event, so there are many participants there. | Это очень интересное мероприятие, поэтому там много участников. |