czworo

Czworo is a Polish collective numeral used to denote a group of four individuals. It belongs to a class of numerals such as dwoje, troje, czworo, piątoro, which are often employed with nouns referring to people or living beings to emphasize the group as a unit rather than counting each member.

Usage and grammar: When czworo is used, the noun that follows typically appears in the genitive plural. Examples include czworo dzieci, czworo dorosłych, czworo przyjaciół. The construction commonly conveys a sense of togetherness or shared activity within the group. While czworo is understood and used in everyday speech, many contexts—especially formal writing or counting non-groupable items—prefer the standard cardinal cztery or other forms (for masculine personal nouns, czterech).

Typical contexts: Czworo is most often used with nouns for people or animate groups, such as children, adults, or friends. It may appear in expressions that emphasize the group as a unit, for example in informal narratives or dialogues describing events involving four individuals.

Comparison with standard numerals: Cztery is the general cardinal form for four and is more common in neutral counting or when the focus is on the number itself rather than the group. Czwaró, cztery, and the related collective numerals can coexist in Polish; the choice depends on nuance, register, and the speaker’s stylistic preference. Collective numerals like czworo are particularly common in spoken Polish and in literary or regional varieties that favor nuanced groupings.

In summary, czworo is a specialized Polish numeral used to express a four-person group as a unit, paired with genitive plural nouns, and is one option among several ways to count groups in the language.