Editing Dual (grammatical number) (section)

=== Slavic languages ===
[[Common Slavic]] had a complete singular-dual-plural number system, although the nominal dual paradigms showed considerable [[syncretism (linguistics)|syncretism]], just as they did in [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]]. Dual was fully operable at the time of [[Old Church Slavonic]] manuscript writings, and it has been subsequently lost in most Slavic dialects in the historical period.

Of the extant Slavic languages, only [[Slovene language|Slovene]], [[Chakavian dialect|Chakavian]] and certain [[Kajkavian dialect|Kajkavian]] dialects, and [[Sorbian languages|Sorbian]] have preserved the dual number as a productive form. In all of the remaining languages, its influence is still found in the declension of nouns of which there are commonly only two: eyes, ears, shoulders, in certain fixed expressions, and the agreement of nouns when used with numbers.<ref>Mayer, Gerald L. (1973) "Common Tendencies in the Syntactic Development of 'Two', 'Three,' and 'Four' in Slavic." ''The Slavic and East European Journal'' 17.3:308–314.</ref>

In all the languages, the words "two" and "both" preserve characteristics of the dual declension. The following table shows a selection of forms for the numeral "two":

<!-- please stop adding to this table? see Talk page -->
{| class="wikitable"
! language || nom.-acc.-voc.|| gen. 
! width="15%" |  loc.
! dat. || instr.
|- align="center"
! Common Slavic
| {{lang|sla|*dъva}} (masc.)<br />{{lang|sla|*dъvě}} (fem./nt.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|sla|*dъvoju}}
| colspan="2" |{{lang|sla|*dъvěma}}
|- align="center"
! Belarusian
| {{lang|be|два }} {{lang|be-Latn|dva}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|be|дзве }} {{lang|be-Latn|dzve}} (fem.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|be|двух }} {{lang|be-Latn|dvukh}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|be|дзвюх }} {{lang|be-Latn|dzvyukh}} (fem.)
| {{lang|be|двум }} {{lang|be-Latn|dvum}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|be|дзвюм }} {{lang|be-Latn|dzvyum}} (fem.)
| {{lang|be|двума }} {{lang|be-Latn|dvuma}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|be|дзвюма }} {{lang|be-Latn|dzvyuma}} (fem.)
|- align="center"
! Czech
| {{lang|cs|dva}} (masc.)<br />{{lang|cs|dvě}} (fem./nt.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|cs|dvou}}
| colspan="2"  | {{lang|cs|dvěma}}
|- align="center"
! Polish
| {{lang|pl|dwa}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|pl|dwie}} (fem.){{smallsup|1}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|pl|dwu}}<br />{{lang|pl|dwóch}}
| {{lang|pl|dwu}}<br />{{lang|pl|dwóm}}
| {{lang|pl|dwoma}}<br />{{lang|pl|dwiema}}
|- align="center"
! Russian
| {{lang|ru|два }} {{lang|ru-Latn|dva}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|ru|две }} {{lang|ru-Latn|dve}} (fem.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|ru|двух }} {{lang|ru-Latn|dvukh}}
| {{lang|ru|двум }} {{lang|ru-Latn|dvum}}
| {{lang|ru|двумя }} {{lang|ru-Latn|dvumya}} (usual form)<br />{{lang|ru|двемя }} {{lang|ru-Latn|dvemya}} (seldom used, dialectal; fem. in some dialects)
|- align="center"
! Serbo-Croatian
| {{lang|sr-Cyrl|два}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dva}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|sr-Cyrl|две}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dvije}} (fem.)
| {{lang|sr-Cyrl|двају}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dvaju}} (masc./nt.) {{lang|sr-Cyrl|двеју}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dviju}} (fem.)
| colspan="3" | {{lang|sr-Cyrl|двaма}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dvama}} (masc./nt.){{smallsup|2}}<br />{{lang|sr-Cyrl|двема}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dvjema}} (fem.)
|- align="center"
! Slovak
| {{lang|sk|dva}} (masc. inanim.)<br />{{lang|sk|dvaja / dvoch}} (masc. anim.)<br />{{lang|sk|dve}} (fem., nt.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|sk|dvoch}}
| {{lang|sk|dvom}}
| {{lang|sk|dvoma / dvomi}}
|- align="center"
! Slovene
| {{lang|sl|dva}} (masc.)<br />{{lang|sl|dve}} (fem./nt.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|sl|dveh}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|sl|dvema}}
|- align="center"
! Sorbian
| {{lang|wen|dwaj}} (masc.)<br />{{lang|wen|dwě}} (fem./nt.)
| {{lang|wen|dweju}}
| colspan="3" | {{lang|wen|dwěmaj}}
|- align="center"
! Ukrainian
| {{lang|uk|два }} {{lang|uk-Latn|dva}} (masc./nt.)<br />{{lang|uk|дві }} {{lang|uk-Latn|dvi}} (fem.)
| colspan="2" | {{lang|uk|двох }} {{lang|uk-Latn|dvokh}}
| {{lang|uk|двом }} {{lang|uk-Latn|dvom}}
| {{lang|uk|двома }} {{lang|uk-Latn|dvoma}}
|}

Notes:
# In some Slavic languages, there is a further distinction between animate and inanimate masculine nouns. In Polish, for animate masculine nouns, the possible nominative forms are {{lang|pl|dwaj}}, or {{lang|pl|dwóch}}.
# Variant form for the masculine/neuter locative and instrumental in Serbo-Croatian: {{lang|sr-Cyrl|двојим(а)}} / {{lang|sr-Latn|dvojim(a)}}.

In Common Slavic, the rules were relatively simple for determining the appropriate case and number form of the noun, when it was used with a numeral. The following rules apply:
# With the numeral "one", both the noun, adjective, and numeral were in the same singular case, with the numeral being declined as an pronoun.
# With the numeral "two", both the noun, adjective, and numeral were in the same dual case. There were separate forms for the masculine and neuter-feminine nouns.
# With the numerals "three" and "four", the noun, adjective, and numeral were in the same plural case.
# With any numeral above "four", the numeral was followed by the noun and adjective in the genitive plural case. The numeral itself was actually a numeral noun that was declined according to its syntactic function.

With the loss of the dual in most of the Slavic languages, the above pattern now is only seen in the forms of the numbers for the tens, hundreds, and rarely thousands. This can be seen by examining the following table:

{| class="wikitable"
! Language
! 10 !! 20 !! 30 !! 50
! 100 !! 200 !! 300 !! 500
|-
! Common Slavic
| {{lang|sla|*desętь}} || {{lang|sla|*dъva desęti}} || {{lang|sla|*trije desęte}} || {{lang|sla|*pętь desętъ}}
| {{lang|sla|*sъto}} || {{lang|sla|*dъvě sъtě}} || {{lang|sla|*tri sъta}} || {{lang|sla|*pętь sъtъ}}
|-
! Belarusian
| {{lang|be|дзесяць}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|dzesyats′}} || {{lang|be|дваццаць}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|dvatstsats′}} || {{lang|be|трыццаць}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|tritstsats′}} || {{lang|be|пяцьдзесят}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|pyats′dzesyat}}
| {{lang|be|сто}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|sto}} || {{lang|be|дзвесце}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|dzvestse}} || {{lang|be|трыста}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|trista}} || {{lang|be|пяцьсот}}<br />{{lang|be-Latn|pyats′sot}}
|-
! Bulgarian
| {{lang|bg|десет}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|deset}} || {{lang|bg|двадесет}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|dvadeset}} || {{lang|bg|тридесет}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|trideset}} || {{lang|bg|петдесет}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|petdeset}}
| {{lang|bg|сто}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|sto}} || {{lang|bg|двеста}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|dvesta}} || {{lang|bg|триста}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|trista}} || {{lang|bg|петстотин}}<br />{{lang|bg-Latn|petstotin}}
|-
! Czech
| {{lang|cs|deset}} || {{lang|cs|dvacet}} || {{lang|cs|třicet}} || {{lang|cs|padesát}}
| {{lang|cs|sto}} || {{lang|cs|dvě stě}} || {{lang|cs|tři sta}} || {{lang|cs|pět set}}
|-
! Macedonian
| {{lang|mk|десет}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|deset}} || {{lang|mk|дваесет}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|dvaeset}} || {{lang|mk|триесет}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|trieset}} || {{lang|mk|педесет}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|pedeset}}
| {{lang|mk|сто}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|sto}} || {{lang|mk|двесте}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|dveste}} || {{lang|mk|триста}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|trisa}} || {{lang|mk|петстотини}}<br />{{lang|mk-Latn|petstotini}}
|-
! Polish
| {{lang|pl|dziesięć}} || {{lang|pl|dwadzieścia}} || {{lang|pl|trzydzieści}} || {{lang|pl|pięćdziesiąt}}
| {{lang|pl|sto}} || {{lang|pl|dwieście}} || {{lang|pl|trzysta}} || {{lang|pl|pięćset}}
|-
! Russian
| {{lang|ru|десять}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|desyat′}} || {{lang|ru|двадцать}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|dvadtsat′}} || {{lang|ru|тридцать}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|tridtsat′}} || {{lang|ru|пятьдесят}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|pyatdesyat}}
| {{lang|ru|сто}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|sto}} || {{lang|ru|двести}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|dvesti}} || {{lang|ru|триста}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|trista}} || {{lang|ru|пятьсот}}<br />{{lang|ru-Latn|pyatsot}}
|-
! Serbo-Croatian
| {{lang|sr-Cyrl|десет}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|deset}} || {{lang|sr-Cyrl|двадесет}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|dvadeset}} || {{lang|sr-Cyrl|тридесет}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|trideset}} || {{lang|sr-Cyrl|педесет}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|pedeset}}
| {{lang|sr-Cyrl|сто}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|sto}} || {{lang|sr-Cyrl|дв(ј)еста}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|dv(j)esta}} || {{lang|sr-Cyrl|триста}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|trista}} || {{lang|sr-Cyrl|петсто}}<br />{{lang|sr-Latn|petsto}}
|-
! Upper Sorbian<ref>These forms are taken from De Bray, R. G. A. ''Guide to the Slavonic Languages''. London, 1951.</ref>
| {{lang|hsb|dźesać}} || {{lang|hsb|dwaceći}} || {{lang|hsb|třiceći}} || {{lang|hsb|pjećdźesat}}
| {{lang|hsb|sto}} || {{lang|hsb|dwě sćě}} || {{lang|hsb|tři sta}} || {{lang|hsb|pjeć stow}}
|-
! Slovak
| {{lang|sk|desať}} || {{lang|sk|dvadsať}} || {{lang|sk|tridsať}} || {{lang|sk|päťdesiat}}
| {{lang|sk|sto}} || {{lang|sk|dvesto}} || {{lang|sk|tristo}} || {{lang|sk|päťsto}}
|-
! Slovene
| {{lang|sl|deset}} || {{lang|sl|dvajset}} || {{lang|sl|trideset}} || {{lang|sl|petdeset}}
| {{lang|sl|sto}} || {{lang|sl|dvesto}} || {{lang|sl|tristo}} || {{lang|sl|petsto}}
|-
! Ukrainian
| {{lang|uk|десять}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|desyat′}} || {{lang|uk|двадцять}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|dvadtsyat′}} || {{lang|uk|тридцять}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|trydtsyat′}} || {{lang|uk|п'ятдесят}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|p″yatdesyat}}
| {{lang|uk|сто}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|sto}} || {{lang|uk|двісті}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|dvisti}} || {{lang|uk|триста}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|trysta}} || {{lang|uk|п'ятсот}}<br />{{lang|uk-Latn|p″yatsot}}
|}

The Common Slavic rules governing the declension of nouns after numerals, which were described above, have been preserved in Slovene. In those Slavic languages that have lost the dual, the system has been simplified and changed in various ways, but many languages have kept traces of the dual in it. In general, Czech, Slovak, Polish and Ukrainian have extended the pattern of "three/four" to "two"; Russian, Belarusian and Serbo-Croatian have, on the contrary, extended the pattern of "two" to "three/four"; and Bulgarian and Macedonian have extended the pattern of "two" to all numerals. The resulting systems are as follows:
# In Czech, Slovak, Polish and Ukrainian, numerals from "two" to "four" are always followed by a noun in the same plural case, but higher numerals (if in the nominative) are followed by a noun in the genitive plural.<ref>However, Ukrainian is special in that the form used with "two", "three" and "four" has the stress pattern of the genitive singular and thus of the old dual.</ref>
# In Belarusian and Serbo-Croatian, numerals from "two" to "four" (if in the nominative) are followed by a noun in a form originating from the Common Slavic nominative dual, which has now completely or almost completely merged with the nominative plural (in the case of Belarusian) or genitive singular (in the case of Serbo-Croatian).<ref>Browne, Wayles and Theresa Alt (2004) A Handbook of Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian. [http://www.seelrc.org:8080/grammar/pdf/stand_alone_bcs.pdf] P.21</ref> Higher numerals are followed by a noun in the genitive plural.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kordić |first=Snježana |author-link=Snježana Kordić |year=2006 |orig-date=1st pub. 1997  |title=Serbo-Croatian |series=Languages of the World/Materials; 148 |location=Munich & Newcastle |publisher=Lincom Europa |page=32 |isbn=3-89586-161-8 |oclc=37959860 |ol=2863538W |id={{CROSBI|426503}}}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20240509070531/http://www.snjezana-kordic.de/Contents_Serbo-Croatian_Grammar.pdf Contents]. [https://linguistlist.org/issues/?topic=Books Summary]. [Grammar book].</ref>
# In Russian, the form of noun following the numeral is nominative singular if the numeral ends in "one", genitive singular if the numeral ends in "two" to "four", and genitive plural otherwise. As an exception, the form of noun is also genitive plural if the numeral ends in 11 to 14.<ref>Paul V. Cubberley (2002) Russian: a linguistic introduction. p.141</ref> Also, some words (for example, many measure words, such as units) have a special "[[Russian declension#Count form|count form]]" (счётная форма) for use in numerical phrases instead of genitive (for some words mandatory, for others optional), for example, восемь мегабайт, пять килограмм and пять килограммов, три ряда́ and три ря́да, and полтора часа́.
# In Bulgarian and Macedonian, all numerals are followed by a noun in a form originating from the Common Slavic nominative dual, which has now been re-interpreted as a "count form" or "quantitative plural".<ref>Friedman, Victor (2001) Macedonian. [http://www.seelrc.org:8080/grammar/pdf/compgrammar_macedonian.pdf] P.19</ref>

These different systems are exemplified in the table below where the word "wolf" is used to form nominative noun phrases with various numerals. The dual and forms originating from it are <u>underlined</u>.

{| class="wikitable"
! || "wolf" || "wolves" || "two wolves" || "three wolves" || "five wolves"
|-
! Noun form || ''nom. sing.'' || ''nom. plur.''
| colspan="3" align="center" | varies
|-
! Common Slavic
| {{lang|sla|*vьlkъ}}
| {{lang|sla|vьlci}}
| <u>{{lang|sla|dъva vьlka}} (''nom. dual'')</u>
| {{lang|sla|tri vьlci}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|sla|pętь vьlkъ}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Slovene
| {{lang|sl|volk}}
| {{lang|sl|volkovi}}
| <u>{{lang|sl|dva volka}} (''nom. dual'')</u>
| {{lang|sl|trije volkovi}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|sl|pet volkov}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Czech
| {{lang|cs|vlk}}
| {{lang|cs|vlci}}
| colspan="2" align="center" | {{lang|cs|dva/tři vlci}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|cs|pět vlků}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Polish
| {{lang|pl|wilk}}
| {{lang|pl|wilki}}<br />{{lang|pl|wilcy}} (rare)
| colspan="2" align="center" | {{lang|pl|dwa/trzy wilki}} (''nom. pl.'')<br />{{lang|pl|dwaj/trzej wilcy}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|pl|pięć wilków}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Slovak
| {{lang|sk|vlk}}
| {{lang|sk|vlky}} (concrete)<br />{{lang|sk|vlci}} (abstract)
| colspan="2" align="center" | {{lang|sk|dva/tri vlky}} (''nom. pl.'') <br />{{lang|sk|dvaja/traja vlci}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|sk|päť vlkov}} (''gen. pl.'') <br />{{lang|sk|piati vlci}} (''nom. pl.'')
|-
! Ukrainian
| {{lang|uk|вовк }} {{lang|uk-Latn|vovk}}
| {{lang|uk|вовки́}} {{lang|uk-Latn|vovký}}
| colspan="2" align="center" | {{lang|uk|два/три во́вки}} {{lang|uk-Latn|dva/try vóvky}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|uk|п'ять вовків}} {{lang|uk-Latn|p″yat′ vovkiv}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Belarusian
| {{lang|uk|воўк }} {{lang|uk-Latn|vowk}}
| {{lang|uk|ваўкі }} {{lang|uk-Latn|vawki}}
| colspan="2" align="center" | {{lang|uk|два/тры ваўкі}} {{lang|uk-Latn|dva/try vawki}} (''nom. pl.'')
| {{lang|uk|пяць ваўкоў}} {{lang|uk-Latn|pyats′ vawkow}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Russian
| {{lang|ru|волк }} {{lang|ru-Latn|volk}}
| {{lang|ru|волки }} {{lang|ru-Latn|volki}}
| colspan="2" align="center" | <u>{{lang|ru|два/три волкa}} {{lang|uk-Latn|dva/tri volka}} (''gen. sg.'')</u>
| {{lang|ru|пять волков }} {{lang|ru-Latn|pyat volkov}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Serbo-Croatian
| {{lang|sr|вук}} / {{lang|hr|vuk}}
| {{lang|sr|вукови}} / {{lang|hr|vukovi}} (concrete)<br />{{lang|sr|вŷци}} / {{lang|hr|vûci}} (abstract)
| colspan="2" align="center" | <u>{{lang|sr|два/три вука}} / {{lang|hr|dva/tri vuka}} (''gen. sg.'')</u>
| {{lang|sr|пет вукова}} / {{lang|hr|pet vukova}} (''gen. pl.'')
|-
! Bulgarian
| {{lang|bg|вълк }} {{lang|bg-Latn|vǎlk}}
| {{lang|bg|вълци }} {{lang|bg-Latn|vǎltsi}}
| colspan="3" align="center" | <u>{{lang|bg|два/три/пет вълка}} {{lang|uk-Latn|dva/tri/pet vălka}} (''count form'')</u>
|}

The dual has also left traces in the declension of nouns describing body parts that humans customarily had two of, for example: eyes, ears, legs, breasts, and hands. Often the plural declension is used to give a figurative meaning. The table below summarizes the key such points.

{| class="wikitable"
! Language
| Examples
|-
! Czech
| Certain paired body parts (eyes, ears, hands, legs, breasts; but not pair organs e.g. lungs) and their modifying adjectives require in the instrumental and genitive plural cases dual forms: {{lang|cs|se svýma očima}} (instrumental dual: "with one's own (two) eyes") or {{lang|cs|u nohou}} (genitive dual: "at the (two) feet"). Colloquial Czech will often substitute the dual instrumental for the literary plural instrumental case.
|-
! Polish
| {{lang|pl|Oko}} ("eye") and {{lang|pl|ucho}} ("ear") have plural stems deriving from old dual forms, and alternative instrumental and genitive plural forms with archaic dual endings: gen. pl. {{lang|pl|oczu/ócz/oczów}}, {{lang|pl|uszu/uszów}}; instr. pl. {{lang|pl|oczami/oczyma}}, {{lang|pl|uszami/uszyma}}. The declension of {{lang|pl|ręka}} ("hand, arm") also contains old dual forms (nom./acc./voc. pl {{lang|pl|ręce}}, instr. pl. {{lang|pl|rękami/'''rękoma'''}}, loc. sg./pl. {{lang|pl|rękach/'''ręku'''}}). The historically dual forms are usually used to refer a person's two hands ({{lang|pl|dziecko na ręku}} "child-in-arms"), while the regularized plural forms are used elsewhere.  Other archaic dual forms, including dual verbs, can be encountered in older literature and in dialects: {{lang|pl|Jak nie '''chceta''', to nie '''musita'''}} "If you don't want to, you don't have to".<ref>{{cite book|last = Swan|first = Oscar E.|title = A Grammar of Contemporary Polish|publisher = Slavica|year = 2002|location = Bloomington, IN|isbn = 0-89357-296-9|pages=57, 199, 216}}</ref>
|-
! Slovak
| In Slovak, the genitive plural and instrumental plural for the words "eyes" and "ears" has also retained its dual forms: {{lang|sk|očiam/očí}} and {{lang|sk|ušiam/uší}}.
|-
! Ukrainian
| The words "eyes" and "shoulders" had dual forms in the instrumental plural case: {{lang|uk|очима }} {{lang|uk-Latn|ochyma}} ("eyes") and {{lang|uk|плечима  }} {{lang|uk-Latn|plechyma}} ("shoulders"). Furthermore, the nominative plural word {{lang|uk|вуса }} {{lang|uk-Latn|vusa}}, which is the dual of {{lang|uk|вус }} {{lang|uk-Latn|vus}} ("whisker"), refers to the moustache, while the true nominative plural word {{lang|uk|вуси }} {{lang|uk-Latn|vusy}} refers to whiskers.
|-
! Bulgarian
| Some words such as {{lang|bg|ръка }} {{lang|bg-Latn|răka}} "hand" use the originally dual form as a plural ({{lang|bg|ръце }} {{lang|bg-Latn|rătse}}).
|-
! Russian
| In Russian the word {{lang|ru|колено }} {{lang|ru-Latn|koleno}} ("knee", "tribe (Israelites)") has different plurals: {{lang|ru|колена }} {{lang|ru-Latn|kolena}} ("Israelites") is pure plural and {{lang|ru|колени }} {{lang|ru-Latn|koleni}} (body part) is a dual form. Some cases are different as well: {{lang|ru|коленами }} {{lang|ru-Latn|kolenami}} vs. {{lang|ru|коленями }} {{lang|ru-Latn|kolenyami}} (instr.pl.).
|}

==== Slovene ====
{{See also|Slovene grammar}}
Along with the [[Sorbian languages]], [[Chakavian dialect|Chakavian]], some [[Kajkavian]] dialects, and the extinct [[Old Church Slavonic]], [[Slovene language|Slovene]] uses the dual. Although popular sources claim that Slovene has "preserved full grammatical use of the dual,"<ref name="MLD 2009">{{cite news |url=http://www.stat.si/eng/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=2177 |title=International Mother Language Day |publisher=Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia |date=19 February 2009 |access-date=3 February 2011}}</ref> Standard Slovene (and, to varying degrees, Slovene dialects) show significant reduction of the dual number system when compared with Common Slavic.<ref name="Jakop2008">{{cite book|last=Jakop|first=Tjaša|title=The Dual in Slovene Dialects|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gQZ1Y9O7OLAC|year=2008|publisher=Brockmeyer|location=Bochum|isbn=978-3-8196-0705-9}}</ref> In general, dual forms have a tendency to be replaced by plural forms. This tendency is stronger in oblique cases than in the nominative/accusative: in standard Slovene, genitive and locative forms have merged with the plural, and in many dialects, pluralization has extended to dative/instrumental forms. Dual inflection is better preserved in masculine forms than in feminine forms.<ref>Jakop (2008, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gQZ1Y9O7OLAC&pg=PA104 pp. 104–105])</ref> Natural pairs are usually expressed with the plural in Slovene, not with the dual: e.g. {{lang|sl|roke}} "hands", {{lang|sl|ušesa}} ears. The dual forms of such nouns can be used, in conjunction with the quantifiers {{lang|sl|dva}} "two" or {{lang|sl|oba}} "both", to emphasize the number: e.g. {{lang|sl|Imam samo dve roki}} "I only have two hands". The words for "parents" and "twins" show variation in colloquial Slovene between plural ({{lang|sl|starši}}, {{lang|sl|dvojčki}}) and dual ({{lang|sl|starša}}, {{lang|sl|dvojčka}}).<ref>Jakop (2008, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gQZ1Y9O7OLAC&pg=PA6 pp. 6ff])</ref> Standard Slovene has replaced the nominative dual pronouns of Common Slavic ({{lang|sla|vě}} "the two of us", {{lang|sla|va}} "the two of you", {{lang|sla|ja/ji/ji}} "the two of them" [m./f./n.]) with new synthetic dual forms: {{lang|sl|midva/midve}} (literally, "we-two"), {{lang|sl|vidva/vidve}}, {{lang|sl|onadva/onidve/onidve}}.<ref>Derganc, Aleksandra. 2006. Some Characteristics of the Dual in Slovenian. ''Slavistična revija'' 54 (special issue): 416–434; especially pp. 428–429.</ref>

Nominative case of noun {{lang|sl|volk}} "wolf", with and without numerals:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ without numerals
! || nom. sg. (wolf) || nom. dual (2 wolves) || nom. pl. (wolves)
|-
! Slovene
| {{lang|sl|volk}} || volkova ||  {{lang|sl|volkovi}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ with numerals
! || wolf || 2 wolves || 3 (or 4) wolves || 5(+) wolves (gen. pl.)
|-
! Slovene
| {{lang|sl|en volk}} || {{lang|sl|dva volkova}}|| {{lang|sl|trije volkovi}} || {{lang|sl|pet volkov}}
|}

The dual is recognised by many Slovene speakers as one of the most distinctive features of the language and a mark of recognition, and is often mentioned in tourist brochures.

For verbs, the endings in the present tense are given as {{lang|sl|-va}}, {{lang|sl|-ta}}, {{lang|sl|-ta}}. The table below shows a comparison of the conjugation of the verb {{lang|sl|delati}}, which means "to do, to make, to work" and belongs to Class IV in the singular, dual, and plural.

{| class="wikitable" align = "center"
! !! Singular !! Dual !! Plural
|-
! First person
| {{lang|sl|del'''am'''}} || {{lang|sl|del'''ava'''}} || {{lang|sl|del'''amo'''}}
|-
! Second person
| {{lang|sl|del'''aš'''}} || {{lang|sl|del'''ata'''}} || {{lang|sl|del'''ate'''}}
|-
! Third person
| {{lang|sl|del'''a'''}} || {{lang|sl|del'''ata'''}} || {{lang|sl|del'''ajo'''}}
|}

In the imperative, the endings are given as {{lang|sl|-iva}} for the first-person dual and {{lang|sl|-ita}} for the second-person dual. The table below shows the imperative forms for the verb {{lang|sl|hoditi}} ("to walk") in the first and second persons of the imperative (the imperative does not exist for first-person singular).

{| class="wikitable" align="center" title="Imperative"
! !! Singular !! Dual !! Plural
|-
! First person
| —<!--Note: There is no first-person, singular imperative verb form. Please stop trying to add the first person present indicative form {{lang|sl|hodim}} --> || {{lang|sl|hodiva}} || {{lang|sl|hodimo}}
|-
! Second person
| {{lang|sl|hodi}} || {{lang|sl|hodita}} || {{lang|sl|hodite}}
|}

==== Sorbian language ====
As in Slovenian, the Sorbian language (both dialects Upper and Lower Sorbian) has preserved the dual. For nouns, the following endings are used:

{| class="wikitable" align = "center"
! !! Masculine !! Feminine or neuter
|-
! Nominative, accusative, vocative
| {{lang|wen|-aj/-ej}} || {{lang|wen|-e{{smallsup|2}}/-y/-i}}
|-
! Genitive{{smallsup|1}}
| {{lang|wen|-ow}}  || {{lang|wen|-ow}}
|-
! Dative, instrumental, locative
| {{lang|wen|-omaj}} || {{lang|wen|-omaj}}
|}

# The genitive form is based on the plural form of the noun.
# The -e ending causes various softening changes to occur to the preceding constant, for further information see the article on [[Sorbian language|Sorbian]].

For example, the declension of ''sin'' (masculine) and ''crow'' (feminine) in the dual in Upper Sorbian would be given as

{| class="wikitable" align = "center"
! !! {{lang|wen|hrěch}} ("sin") !! {{lang|wen|wróna}} ("crow")
|-
! Nominative, accusative, vocative
| {{lang|wen|hrěchaj}} || {{lang|wen|wrónje}}
|-
! Genitive
| {{lang|wen|hrěchow}} || {{lang|wen|wrónow}}
|-
! Dative, instrumental, locative
| {{lang|wen|hrěchomaj}} || {{lang|wen|wrónomaj}}
|}

For verbs, the endings in the present tense are given as {{lang|wen|-moj}}, {{lang|wen|-tej/-taj}}, {{lang|wen|-tej/-taj}}. The table below shows a comparison of the conjugation of the verb {{lang|wen|pisać}}, which means "to write" and belongs to Class I in the singular, dual, and plural.

{| class="wikitable" align = "center"
! !! Singular !! Dual !! Plural
|-
! First person
| {{lang|wen|pis'''am'''}} || {{lang|wen|pis'''amoj'''}} || {{lang|wen|pis'''amy'''}}
|-
! Second person
| {{lang|wen|pis'''aš'''}} || {{lang|wen|pis'''atej'''}} || {{lang|wen|pis'''aće'''}}
|-
! Third person
| {{lang|wen|pis'''a'''}} || {{lang|wen|pis'''atej'''}} || {{lang|wen|pis'''aja'''}}
|}