Breakdown of Я передал этот рубин двоим ювелирам.
я
I
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
двое
two (collective)
передать
to pass on, to hand over
рубин
ruby
ювелир
jeweler
Questions & Answers about Я передал этот рубин двоим ювелирам.
Why is the collective numeral двоим used here instead of the standard number двум?
Both двоим ювелирам and двум ювелирам are grammatically correct. Collective numerals like двое are often used with masculine nouns referring to people. Using двоим emphasizes the jewelers as a cohesive pair or a single group, rather than just a mathematical quantity of two.
How does the collective numeral двое decline to become двоим?
Collective numerals like двое and трое decline similarly to plural adjectives. The verb передал (handed over to) requires the indirect object to be in the Dative case. The Dative plural ending for this numeral is -им, giving us двоим. Notice how this mirrors the Dative plural ending you see in pronouns like моим.
Why doesn't этот рубин change its ending if it is the object being handed over?
It actually has changed to the Accusative case, but because рубин (ruby) is a masculine inanimate noun, its Accusative form is completely identical to its Nominative form. If you were handing over a feminine object like a pearl (жемчужина), it would clearly change to the Accusative: эту жемчужину.
Could I use the imperfective verb передавал here instead of передал?
You could, but it changes the nuance. The perfective передал focuses on the successfully completed result of handing the ruby over. Using передавал would imply an ongoing process (I was handing over), a repeated action, or simply focus on the action itself without stressing the final result.
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