Indefinite numerals in Slovak language
These numerals indicate the quantity of individuals or things. By meaning and form they belong to the group of definite numerals. Therefore their meaning is the same as in the following numerals.
a) Cardinal : mnoho, málo, viac, najviac, veľa, hodne, koľko, toľko, niekoľko, máločo, pár
b) Multiplicative : mnohonásobný, viacnásobný, viackrát, menej ráz, koľkokrát, koľko ráz, niekoľko, násobne.
c) Ordinal : koľký, toľký
Indefinite numerals, similarly as definite ones, can be:
a) non-inflectional, and they are considered as adverbs of measure: mnoho, veľa- viac- najviac, málo- menej- najmenej, čo najviac, priveľa, veľa- veľa,
b) inflectional, and they are declined as adjectives.
The counted object of non- inflectional indefinite numerals is usually in the genitive as i tis with cardinal numerals. If individual is refered to, i tis in the genitive plural and if material nouns are refered to, they are genitive singular. If this construction is the subject in a sentence the verb has the impersonal form (3rd person singular neuter) Veľa detí muselo stáť. (Many children had to stand.) Cardinal indefinite numerals are not declined even after prepositions. They have the non-inflectional fom when preceding the simple cases as the definition of measure: Ešte pred pár dňami nič nevedel.( he didn´t know anything a few days ago.) Pár vetami povedal všetko. ( He said everything in a few sentences.)
Quantity is also expressed by nouns : množstvo( quantity), väčšina( majority), kus, kúštik ( a bit), kopa ( a lot), pohár( glass), tanier ( plate),rok ( year), etc. Mal kopu listov.( he had a lots of letters. ) Nemal ani kúsok chleba.( He didn´t have a bit of bread.)