Questions & Answers about У меня две ноги.
Why do we use две instead of два here?
The number two has different forms depending on the gender of the noun. Because нога (leg) is a feminine noun, we must use the feminine form две. For masculine and neuter nouns, you would use два.
Why is the word for leg ноги? Is that the plural form?
It looks exactly like the plural, but it is actually the genitive singular form. After the numbers 2, 3, and 4, Russian requires the genitive singular. The spelling is the same as the plural, but the spoken stress is different: the plural is stressed on the first syllable, while this genitive singular form is stressed on the last syllable.
Why don't we use the word есть here, like У меня есть...?
When talking about permanent physical features or body parts, Russians usually drop the word есть (is/exists). You use есть to emphasize that you possess something, but having two legs is an inherent trait, so есть is left out.
Can the word ноги also mean feet?
Yes! In everyday Russian, нога refers to the entire leg, including the foot. If someone needs to specifically talk about just the foot, they can use the word ступня, but usually, нога is perfectly fine for both.
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