Language/Russian/Grammar/Prepositional-Case

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Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on the Russian Prepositional case! In this lesson, we will explore the basics of the Prepositional case, one of the six cases in the Russian language. Understanding the Prepositional case is essential for expressing location, describing objects, and indicating the subject of a preposition. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form and use nouns in the Prepositional case correctly.

What is the Prepositional Case?

The Prepositional case, also known as the Locative case, is used to indicate location or position. It is used after prepositions and certain verbs that require the Prepositional case. In English, the Prepositional case is often translated as "in," "on," or "at."

Forming the Prepositional Case

To form the Prepositional case, we need to understand the concept of noun declension. Nouns in Russian change their endings depending on their gender, number, and case. In the Prepositional case, the endings of nouns are determined by their gender and number.

Masculine Nouns

In the Prepositional case, singular masculine nouns ending in a consonant or "-й" change their ending to "-е." For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
дом	dom	house
враче	vrache	doctor
папе	pape	father
месяце	mesyatse	month

Singular masculine nouns ending in "-а" or "-я" replace the "-а" or "-я" with "-е" in the Prepositional case. For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
парк	park	park
день	den'	day
чай	chay	tea

Feminine Nouns

In the Prepositional case, singular feminine nouns ending in "-а" or "-я" change their ending to "-е." For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
книга	kniga	book
неделя	nedelya	week
машина	mashina	car

Singular feminine nouns ending in "-ь" replace the "-ь" with "-и" in the Prepositional case. For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
ночь	noch'	night
дверь	dver'	door
мышь	mysh'	mouse

Neuter Nouns

In the Prepositional case, singular neuter nouns ending in "-о" or "-е" change their ending to "-е." For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
окно	okno	window
море	more	sea
молоко	moloko	milk

Plural Nouns

In the Prepositional case, plural nouns usually end in "-ах," "-ях," "-ях," or "-ах." For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
друзьях	druzyakh	friends
домах	domakh	houses
книгах	knigakh	books

Using the Prepositional Case

Now that we understand how to form nouns in the Prepositional case, let's explore how to use the Prepositional case in sentences.

Indicating Location

One of the main uses of the Prepositional case is to indicate location. In English, this is often translated as "in," "on," or "at." Here are some examples:

• Я живу в Москве. (Ya zhivu v Moskve.) - I live in Moscow.
• Книга лежит на столе. (Kniga lezhit na stole.) - The book is on the table.
• Я работаю в офисе. (Ya rabotayu v ofise.) - I work in the office.

In each of these examples, the nouns "Москва" (Moscow), "стол" (table), and "офис" (office) are in the Prepositional case because they indicate the location or position.

Describing Objects

The Prepositional case is also used to describe objects or to express possession. Here are some examples:

• У меня есть время на прогулку. (U menya est' vremya na progulku.) - I have time for a walk.
• Я хочу чашку с кофе. (Ya khochu chashku s kofe.) - I want a cup of coffee.
• Она купила букет с цветами. (Ona kupila buket s tsvetami.) - She bought a bouquet of flowers.

In these examples, the nouns "время" (time), "чашка" (cup), and "букет" (bouquet) are in the Prepositional case because they describe the object or express possession.

Subject of a Preposition

The Prepositional case is also used when the noun is the subject of a preposition. Here are some examples:

• Я говорю о работе. (Ya govoryu o rabote.) - I'm talking about work.
• Он думает о будущем. (On dumayet o budushchem.) - He's thinking about the future.
• Она мечтает о путешествии. (Ona mechtayet o puteshestvii.) - She dreams about traveling.

In these examples, the nouns "работа" (work), "будущее" (future), and "путешествие" (traveling) are in the Prepositional case because they are the subject of the prepositions "о" (about).

Summary

In this lesson, we have explored the basics of the Russian Prepositional case. We learned how to form nouns in the Prepositional case based on their gender and number. We also discussed how to use the Prepositional case to indicate location, describe objects, and express the subject of a preposition. Understanding the Prepositional case is essential for expressing yourself accurately in Russian.

Now that you have a good grasp of the Prepositional case, why not practice using it in everyday conversations? Remember, the more you practice, the more confident you will become in using the Prepositional case correctly.

Table of Contents - Russian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Cyrillic Alphabet
• Pronunciation Rules

  ---

Basic Phrases and Greetings

• Greetings and Introductions
• Everyday Phrases

  ---

Nouns and Gender

• Noun Gender
• Plurals

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Cases and Prepositions

• Nominative Case
• Prepositional Case

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships and Marital Status

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Dining Out

  ---

Russian Traditions and Holidays

• National Holidays
• Traditional Celebrations

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Hobbies
• Entertainment

  ---

Russian Literature and Arts

• Famous Writers
• Russian Art and Music

Sources

• Prepositional Case - Russian Grammar
• Russian/Grammar/Prepositional case - Wikibooks, open books for ...
• Russian Grammar Tables Nouns in the Prepositional Case

Other Lessons

• Past Tense Conjugations
• Adjectives
• Give your Opinion
• Punctuation
• How to Use be
• How to Use Have
• Very important rules
• Use of the verb быть in the past
• Noun Adjective Agreement
• Present Tense Conjugations

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