Editing Bulgarian language (section)

=====Number=====
Two numbers are distinguished in Bulgarian–[[Grammatical number|singular]] and [[plural]]. A variety of plural suffixes is used, and the choice between them is partly determined by their ending in singular and partly influenced by gender; in addition, irregular declension and alternative plural forms are common. Words ending in {{lang|bg|–а/–я}} (which are usually feminine) generally have the plural ending {{lang|bg|–и}}, upon dropping of the singular ending. Of nouns ending in a consonant, the feminine ones also use {{lang|bg|–и}}, whereas the masculine ones usually have {{lang|bg|–и}} for polysyllables and {{lang|bg|–ове}} for monosyllables (however, exceptions are especially common in this group). Nouns ending in {{lang|bg|–о/–е}} (most of which are neuter) mostly use the suffixes {{lang|bg|–а, –я}} (both of which require the dropping of the singular endings) and {{lang|bg|–та}}.

With [[cardinal number]]s and related words such as {{lang|bg|няколко}} ('several'), masculine nouns use a special count form in {{lang|bg|–а/–я}}, which stems from the Proto-Slavonic [[dual grammatical number|dual]]: {{lang|bg|два/три стола}} ('two/three chairs') versus {{lang|bg|тези столове}} ('these chairs'); cf. feminine {{lang|bg|две/три/тези книги}} ('two/three/these books') and neuter {{lang|bg|две/три/тези легла}} ('two/three/these beds'). However, a recently developed language norm requires that count forms should only be used with masculine nouns that do not denote persons. Thus, {{lang|bg|двама/трима ученици}} ('two/three students') is perceived as more correct than {{lang|bg|двама/трима ученика}}, while the distinction is retained in cases such as {{lang|bg|два/три молива}} ('two/three pencils') versus {{lang|bg|тези моливи}} ('these pencils').