Breakdown of Каждый получит по два жетона, но не всякому достаётся приз.
не
not
два
two
но
but
каждый
every
получить
to receive (perfective)
всякий
any sort of
по
each (distributive)
приз
prize
жетон
token
доставаться
to go to
Questions & Answers about Каждый получит по два жетона, но не всякому достаётся приз.
Why do we say по два жетона? What cases are at work here?
The preposition по is used for distribution (getting something 'each'). With the numbers 2, 3, and 4, по requires the Accusative case. Here, два is Accusative (which looks just like the Nominative for inanimate objects). The noun жетона is Genitive singular, which is the standard rule for nouns following the number two.
What is the difference between каждый and всякий in this context?
Каждый refers to specific individuals in a defined group ('each person here'). Всякий is broader, meaning 'any' or 'any random person'. The phrase не всякому means 'not just anyone', emphasizing that the prize requires luck or effort, whereas не каждому would merely state the mathematical fact that 'not every single person' gets one.
Why is всякому in the Dative case?
It is required by the verb достаётся (to fall to one's lot / to be acquired). When you use this verb to say someone gets something—often by luck, fate, or distribution—the recipient must be in the Dative case, while the thing received (приз) acts as the Nominative subject.
Why does the first half use the future tense (получит) but the second half uses the present tense (достаётся)?
Получит is a future perfective verb describing a specific, guaranteed event that will happen (handing out the tokens). Достаётся is present imperfective because it acts as a general statement or timeless rule: 'as a rule, prizes do not just go to anybody'.
Learn Каждый получит по два жетона, но не всякому достаётся приз and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free