Blog about English
Difference between the indefinite article and the numeral one.
Use a/an when referring to one non-specific person or thing without emphasizing the number.
The indefinite article introduces a singular countable noun as a member of a class. The focus is on the noun itself, not on the quantity.
I need a new phone.
Мне нужен новый телефон.
A introduces one non-specific member of the class phone.
She wants to buy a house.
Она хочет купить дом.
A presents one possible house without emphasizing the number.
He is looking for a job in Chicago.
Он ищет работу в Чикаго.
A introduces a non-specific job.
We need an expert to review the contract.
Нам нужен эксперт, чтобы проверить контракт.
An introduces one non-specific expert.
I saw a movie about the history of New York.
Я посмотрел фильм об истории Нью-Йорка.
A presents one movie without identifying a particular movie.
She is hoping to find an apartment near her office.
Она надеется найти квартиру рядом со своим офисом.
An introduces one apartment without emphasizing the quantity.
A mistake in the report caused the final figures to change.
Ошибка в отчете привела к изменению итоговых цифр.
A introduces one unspecified mistake as a new referent.
A qualified engineer can usually identify the source of the problem quickly.
Квалифицированный инженер обычно может быстро определить источник проблемы.
A qualified engineer refers to any one member of that category.
Use one when the number 1 is important or contrasted with another number.
One is a numeral. It is used to emphasize quantity, especially in contrast with two, three or more.
I need one ticket, not two.
Мне нужен один билет, а не два.
One explicitly contrasts one with two.
Only one person knew the answer.
Только один человек знал ответ.
One emphasizes that the number was exactly one.
We have one hour left.
У нас остался один час.
One emphasizes the exact amount of time remaining.
There was one empty seat on the bus.
В автобусе было одно свободное место.
One emphasizes that exactly one seat was available.
I ordered one sandwich and two salads.
Я заказал один сэндвич и два салата.
One is contrasted with two to make the quantities explicit.
Only one student in the class received a perfect score.
Только один ученик в классе получил высший балл.
One emphasizes the exact number of students.
The store had one copy left, so I bought it immediately.
В магазине оставалась одна копия, поэтому я сразу ее купил.
One highlights the fact that the number had fallen to exactly one.
One mistake was enough to invalidate the entire application.
Одной ошибки было достаточно, чтобы аннулировать всю заявку.
One emphasizes a precise quantity and its consequence.
Use a/an for ordinary reference and one when you want to stress that there is only one.
Compare: "A car was parked outside." (introducing a car) and "One car was parked outside." (emphasizing that there was only one).
A car was parked outside.
Снаружи была припаркована машина.
A simply introduces a non-specific car.
One car was parked outside, but the other cars were inside.
Снаружи была припаркована только одна машина, а остальные машины были внутри.
One emphasizes the exact quantity and contrasts it with the other cars.
I need a minute.
Мне нужна минута.
A is the natural choice for ordinary reference.
Give me one minute, and I will be ready.
Дай мне одну минуту, и я буду готов.
One emphasizes the exact amount of time requested.
She bought a ticket for the game.
Она купила билет на игру.
A introduces a ticket without emphasizing its number.
She bought one ticket for herself and two for her friends.
Она купила один билет для себя и два для друзей.
One explicitly distinguishes her single ticket from the two other tickets.
There was a problem with the printer.
С принтером была проблема.
A introduces a non-specific problem.
There was only one problem with the printer: it had no ink.
С принтером была только одна проблема: в нем не было чернил.
One emphasizes that the number of problems was exactly one.
Use one to replace a previously mentioned singular countable noun.
One avoids repeating the same noun. It refers to a single item that has already been identified by context.
I need a pen. Do you have one?
Мне нужна ручка. У тебя есть ручка?
One replaces the previously mentioned singular noun pen.
My phone is old, so I am thinking about buying a new one.
Мой телефон старый, поэтому я думаю купить новый.
One replaces phone after new.
I like this jacket. I want to try on the black one.
Мне нравится эта куртка. Я хочу примерить черную.
One replaces jacket after the adjective black.
Do you need a chair, or can you use this one?
Тебе нужен стул или ты можешь использовать этот?
One replaces chair.
I forgot my umbrella, so I bought a cheap one downtown.
Я забыл свой зонт, поэтому купил дешевый в центре.
One replaces the noun umbrella after an adjective.
Which apartment do you prefer, the smaller one or the larger one?
Какая квартира тебе больше нравится, меньшая или большая?
One avoids repeating apartment after the comparative adjectives.
The first solution was too expensive, so we chose a cheaper one.
Первое решение оказалось слишком дорогим, поэтому мы выбрали более дешевое.
One replaces solution after the adjective cheaper.
If the original proposal is rejected, the committee will need a new one.
Если первоначальное предложение отклонят, комитету понадобится новое.
One replaces proposal while allowing the adjective new to carry the comparison.
Use ones to replace a previously mentioned plural countable noun.
Ones is the plural form of the pronoun one and prevents unnecessary repetition of plural nouns.
I like these shoes better than the black ones.
Мне эти туфли нравятся больше, чем черные.
Ones replaces the plural noun shoes.
Which cookies do you want, the chocolate ones or the vanilla ones?
Какие печенья ты хочешь — шоколадные или ванильные?
Ones replaces cookies after the adjectives chocolate and vanilla.
These batteries are cheaper than the ones I bought last month.
Эти батарейки дешевле тех, которые я купил в прошлом месяце.
Ones replaces batteries and the relative clause identifies the specific ones.
I need some new headphones because my old ones stopped working.
Мне нужны новые наушники, потому что мои старые перестали работать.
Ones replaces the plural noun headphones.
The large boxes are stronger than the small ones.
Большие коробки прочнее маленьких.
Ones replaces boxes after the contrasting adjectives.
We compared several apartments and chose one of the quieter ones.
Мы сравнили несколько квартир и выбрали одну из более тихих.
Ones replaces apartments after quieter.
The original designs were too complicated, so the engineers created simpler ones.
Первоначальные проекты были слишком сложными, поэтому инженеры создали более простые.
Ones replaces designs after the comparative adjective simpler.
The older models are less efficient than the newer ones.
Старые модели менее эффективны, чем новые.
Ones replaces models and avoids repeating the noun.
Use one of before a plural noun to refer to a single member of a group.
Examples include one of my friends, one of the best books and one of those people. The noun after of is plural, while the verb agrees with one.
She is one of my friends.
Она одна из моих подруг.
One of is followed by a plural noun phrase.
This is one of the best restaurants in town.
Это один из лучших ресторанов города.
The noun after of is plural: restaurants.
He is one of those people who always arrive early.
Он один из тех людей, которые всегда приходят рано.
One refers to a single member of the plural group people.
Chicago is one of the largest cities in the United States.
Чикаго — один из крупнейших городов США.
One is the singular subject; cities remains plural after of.
She was one of the first students to finish the assignment.
Она была одной из первых студенток, закончивших задание.
The noun after of is plural, while the verb agrees with one.
That is one of the reasons I decided to move.
Это одна из причин, по которым я решил переехать.
One is singular even though reasons is plural.
She is one of the managers responsible for hiring new employees.
Она одна из менеджеров, отвечающих за найм новых сотрудников.
One of is followed by a plural noun and can be followed by a modifying clause.
This was one of the most difficult decisions the board had ever made.
Это было одно из самых трудных решений, которые когда-либо принимал совет.
One of introduces a single member from a larger set.
Many fixed expressions use one instead of the indefinite article.
Examples include one day, one by one, one more, one another and every one of.
One day I would like to visit Alaska.
Когда-нибудь я хотел бы посетить Аляску.
One day can refer to an unspecified future day.
The students entered the room one by one.
Студенты вошли в комнату по одному.
One by one means individually or separately.
Can I have one more minute?
Можно мне еще одну минуту?
One more means an additional single unit.
They helped one another after the storm.
Они помогали друг другу после бури.
One another is a reciprocal expression.
Every one of these answers is correct.
Каждый из этих ответов правильный.
Every one of is followed by a plural noun phrase, but the subject is grammatically singular.
One at a time, please.
Пожалуйста, по одному.
One at a time is a fixed expression meaning individually in sequence.
He kept calling one after another until someone answered.
Он продолжал звонить одному за другим, пока кто-то не ответил.
One after another describes people or things occurring successively.
One by one, the departments submitted their final reports.
Один за другим отделы представили свои итоговые отчеты.
The expression emphasizes that the departments acted individually and sequentially.
Do not use one instead of a/an unless you intend to emphasize the number or use one as a pronoun.
Many learners overuse one because their native language requires an explicit numeral. In English, a/an is usually the natural choice for introducing a singular countable noun.
I need a pen.
Мне нужна ручка.
A is the natural choice when simply introducing one non-specific singular countable noun.
I need one pen, not two.
Мне нужна одна ручка, а не две.
One is appropriate because the exact quantity is being emphasized.
I bought a new laptop yesterday.
Я купил новый ноутбук вчера.
A introduces the laptop without emphasizing that exactly one was purchased.
I bought one laptop for work and another one for my home office.
Я купил один ноутбук для работы и еще один для домашнего офиса.
One emphasizes the first quantity and another one identifies an additional item.
Which jacket do you want? The blue one.
Какую куртку ты хочешь? Синюю.
One is used as a pronoun to avoid repeating jacket.
These shoes are more comfortable than the ones I bought last year.
Эти туфли удобнее тех, которые я купил в прошлом году.
Ones replaces the previously mentioned plural noun shoes.
She is one of my closest friends.
Она одна из моих самых близких подруг.
One of identifies one member of a larger group.
One of the main reasons I moved was the cost of housing.
Одной из главных причин моего переезда была стоимость жилья.
One is singular even though reasons is plural, so the expression should not be treated as a plural subject.