оба

Russian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *oba, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂e(m)bʰoh₁, whence also Lithuanian abu, Latin ambo and Ancient Greek άμφω (ámphō).

Pronunciation

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Numeral

оба (óba) m and n, обе (óbe) f

1. both

Usage note: оба and обе in the nominative or accusative case govern the genitive singular of the noun. While the noun in a nominative construction is in the genitive singular following обa or обе, an intervening adjective will be in the genitive plural (if masculine or neuter) or nominative plural (if feminine). In the other cases, оба/обе and any intervening adjective must all agree with the case of the noun. The pattern is the same as that found with два.

• о́ба бе́лых стола́ — both white tables
• о́ба но́вых окна́ — both new windows
• о́бе хоро́шие кни́ги — both good books

But:

• с обо́ими ру́сскими солда́тами — with both Russian soldiers
• об обе́их англи́йских кни́гах — about both English books

The masculine genitive singular form обоего is an anomaly that sees only limited use:

• обо́его по́ла — of both sexes

Declension

	Masc. sg.	Masc. & neuter pl.	Fem. pl.
nominative		о́ба	о́бе
genitive	обо́его	обо́их	обе́их
dative		обо́им	обе́им
accusative		о́ба, обо́их	о́бе, обе́их
instrumental		обо́ими	обе́ими
prepositional		об обо́их	об обе́их

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Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *oba

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ôba/
• Hyphenation: о‧ба

Noun

о̏ба m and n (Latin spelling ȍba)

1. both (for masculine and neuter pair)

Declension

declension of оба

	m & n	f *
nominative	о̏ба	о̏бје, о̏бе
genitive	оба̀јӯ	обѝјӯ
dative	оба̀ма	објѐма, обѐма
accusative	о̏ба	о̏бје, о̏бе
vocative	о̏ба	о̏бje, о̏бe
locative	оба̀ма	објѐма, обѐма
instrumental	оба̀ма	објѐма, обѐма
* Feminine forms listed in Ijekavian and Ekavian pairs.

Related terms

• о̏бје / о̏бе (for feminine pair)