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<div class="pg_page_title">Russian Grammar - Plurals</div>
|[[Language/Russian/Grammar/Noun-Gender|◀️ Noun Gender — Previous Lesson]]
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Hi [https://polyglotclub.com/language/russian Russian] learners! 😊<br>In this lesson, we will delve into the fascinating world of plurals in the Russian language. As you may already know, the Russian language has a complex grammatical structure with six cases, and the same goes for plurals. In Russian, plural nouns are used when we talk about more than one thing, person or animal. So, let's dig in!
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<div class="pg_page_title">[[Language/Russian|Russian]]  → [[Language/Russian/Grammar|Grammar]] → [[Language/Russian/Grammar/0-to-A1-Course|0 to A1 Course]] → Nouns and Gender → Plurals</div>


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== Introduction to Plurals ==
== Introduction ==
In this lesson, we will focus on forming plurals of Russian nouns and recognizing the different plural endings for each gender. Understanding how to form plurals is an essential aspect of learning Russian grammar. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently form and use plural nouns in your Russian conversations.


As in many languages, plurals in Russian are simply formed by adding a suffix to the end of the noun. However, in Russian, the choice of suffix depends on various factors such as gender, declension, and sometimes even the specific noun ending.  
== Basic Rules for Forming Plurals ==
In Russian, forming plurals involves changing the endings of nouns. The specific ending that a noun takes in its plural form depends on its gender. There are three genders in Russian: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Let's explore the plural endings for each gender.


To give an example, let's take the word "стол" (table) and "стул" (chair). To form the plural of these two words, we add the suffix "-ы" for masculine nouns and "-и" for feminine nouns. Thus, we get "столы" (tables) and "стулья" (chairs).  
=== Plural Endings for Masculine Nouns ===
Masculine nouns usually end in a consonant or a soft sign (ь) in their singular form. When forming the plural, the ending -ы is added to masculine nouns that end in a consonant, while the soft sign is removed before adding -и.


It may seem simple, but as we dig deeper, we'll find some exceptions and anomalies that make the Russian language even more exciting.
Here are some examples:
 
== Plural Suffixes ==
 
As mentioned previously, the choice of plural suffix in Russian depends on various factors. Below is a table that summarizes the different plural suffixes according to gender, declension, and ending:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Gender !! Declension !! Ending !! Plural Suffix
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" | Masculine || rowspan="3" | First || -о, -е, -ё || -ы
| стол || stol || table
|-
|-
||| -й || -и
| дом || dom || house
|-
|-
||| other || -а
| парк || park || park
|-
|-
| rowspan="3" | Feminine || rowspan="3" | First || -а || -ы
| папа || papa || dad
|}
 
Note that some masculine nouns may have irregular plural forms. It is important to learn these irregularities as you progress in your Russian studies.
 
=== Plural Endings for Feminine Nouns ===
Feminine nouns usually end in -а or -я in their singular form. When forming the plural, the ending -ы is added to feminine nouns that end in -а, and the ending -и is added to feminine nouns that end in -я.
 
Here are some examples:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| машина || mashina || car
|-
|-
||| -я || -и
| семья || sem'ya || family
|-
|-
||| other || -ы
| улица || ulitsa || street
|-
|-
| colspan="4" | Neuter || -а, -о, -є || -а/-я
| книга || kniga || book
|}
|}


Note: є is a letter in the Ukrainian alphabet but not in the Russian alphabet.  
Similarly to masculine nouns, some feminine nouns may have irregular plural forms.
 
=== Plural Endings for Neuter Nouns ===
Neuter nouns usually end in -о or -е in their singular form. When forming the plural, the ending -а is added to neuter nouns that end in -о, and the ending -я is added to neuter nouns that end in -е.


Here are some examples to demonstrate how different plural endings are formed:
Here are some examples:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| стол || stol || table (singular)
| окно || okno || window
|-
| столы || stoly || tables (plural)
|-
|-
| кот || kot || cat (singular)
| море || more || sea
|-
|-
| кошки || koshki || cats (plural)
| письмо || pismo || letter
|-
|-
| мыло || mylo || soap (singular)
| время || vremya || time
|-
| мыла || myla || soaps (plural)
|}
|}


== Irregular Plurals ==
As with masculine and feminine nouns, irregular plural forms exist for some neuter nouns.


As with any language, there are exceptions to the rules. Some Russian nouns don't follow the typical plural formation rules, and will have an irregular plural form. Here are some examples of irregular plural nouns:
== Plural Forms of Nouns with Soft and Hard Stems ==
In addition to the gender-based plural endings, Russian nouns can also have soft or hard stems, which affect how the plural forms are constructed. A noun stem is the root form of a noun without any endings.


* год (year) - года (years)
When a noun has a hard stem, the plural endings are added directly to the stem. For example, the noun "стол" (table) has a hard stem, so the plural form is "столы" (tables).
* ребёнок (child) - дети (children)
* нож (knife) - ножи (knives)
* зуб (tooth) - зубы (teeth)


Note: ребёнок is spelled with ё, a letter in the Russian alphabet which represents the sound "yo" but is often replaced with е.
On the other hand, when a noun has a soft stem, the plural endings are added after a soft sign (ь). For example, the noun "день" (day) has a soft stem, so the plural form is "дни" (days).


As you can see, the plural form of these nouns follows a completely different pattern and cannot be formed according to the usual plural formation rules. Therefore, it is best to memorize them separately.  
It is important to pay attention to the stems of nouns when forming plurals, as they can affect the endings that are added.


== Plural of Adjectives ==
== Plural Forms of Nouns Ending in -ь ==
Nouns that end in a soft sign (ь) in their singular forms have a unique pattern for forming plurals. In these cases, the soft sign is replaced by the ending -и in the plural form.


In the Russian language, adjectives must agree with the noun they describe, and this agreement also extends to plural forms. Therefore, when forming the plural of an adjective, we also need to consider the gender and declension of the noun it describes.
Here are some examples:


For example, if we want to describe a group of "красивая девушка" (beautiful girl(s)), the adjective "красивая" (beautiful) needs to take the same plural suffix as the noun "девушка". Thus, we would end up with "красивые девушки" (beautiful girls).
{| class="wikitable"
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| ночь || noch' || night
|-
| дверь || dver' || door
|-
| мышь || mysh' || mouse
|-
| дочь || doch' || daughter
|}


== Dialogue ==
== Plural Forms of Nouns Ending in -й ==
Nouns that end in -й in their singular forms also have a specific pattern for forming plurals. In these cases, the -й is replaced by -и in the plural form.


Here's an example conversation to help you see plurals in context:  
Here are some examples:
* Person 1: Это красивый дом. (This is a beautiful house.)
* Person 2: Да, но я предпочитаю красивые дома. (Yes, but I prefer beautiful houses.)


== Interesting Facts ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| путь || put' || path
|-
| край || kray || region
|-
| рубль || rubl' || ruble
|-
| лай || lay || bark (noun)
|}


Did you know that Russian has a special suffix -ище that is used to form the meaning of "more than" or "the most"? For example, большой (big) becomes "большище" (bigger) or "самый большище" (the biggest).
== Plural Forms of Nouns with Irregular Plural Endings ==
In addition to the regular plural endings we have discussed, there are several nouns in Russian that have irregular plural forms. These irregularities must be learned individually, as there are no specific rules governing them.


== Practice Exercise ==
Here are some examples of nouns with irregular plurals:


Now, it's time to practice! Can you form the plural for the following nouns?:
{| class="wikitable"
! Russian !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
| человек || chelovek || person
|-
| глаз || glaz || eye
|-
| зуб || zub || tooth
|-
| нож || nozh || knife
|}


* дом
Take note of these irregular plural forms and practice using them in context to familiarize yourself with their usage.
* ручка
* машина
* ложка
* карандаш


Once you've formed the plurals, try to use them in sentences.
== Summary ==
In this lesson, we have learned how to form plurals of Russian nouns based on their gender and endings. We explored the plural endings for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, as well as the plurals of nouns with soft and hard stems. We also discussed the plurals of nouns ending in -ь and -й, as well as irregular plural forms.


== Final Thoughts ==
It is important to practice forming and using plural nouns in order to internalize these grammar rules. As you continue your Russian language journey, you will encounter more nouns with unique plural forms. Keep exploring and expanding your knowledge to become proficient in Russian grammar.
 
Learning plurals is an important part of mastering any language, and Russian is no exception. As we've seen, forming plurals in Russian can be tricky, but with practice and memorization, you'll be able to master it. To improve your [[Language/Russian|Russian]] [[Language/Russian/Grammar|Grammar]], you can also use the [https://polyglotclub.com Polyglot Club] website. [https://polyglotclub.com/find-friends.php?search=send&d=0&f=36&offre1=103 Find native speakers] and ask them any [https://polyglotclub.com/language/russian/question questions]!
 
 
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==Sources==
* [https://www.russianlessons.net/lessons/lesson11_main.php Russian Plurals - Russian Language Lesson 11]
* [https://www.russiantutoring.com/post/how-to-express-plurality-in-russian How to Express Plurality in Russian]
* [https://www.russianforfree.com/grammar-of-russian-nouns-plural.php Russian grammar: Nouns in Nominative (plural) - Learn Russian for ...]


{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Russian Grammar - Plurals
|title=Russian Grammar → Nouns and Gender → Plurals
|keywords=Russian plurals, Russian nouns, Russian language, learning Russian language, Russian grammar, how to form plurals in Russian, Russian adjectives.
|keywords=Russian grammar, Russian nouns, Russian gender, Russian plurals, Russian language
|description=Learn how to form plurals in the Russian language. Explore the different plural suffixes and how to form irregular plurals. Improve your Russian grammar with our lesson!
|description=In this lesson, you will learn how to form plurals of Russian nouns and recognize the different plural endings for each gender.}}
}}  


<hr>➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.<br>➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎


{{Russian-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}


[[Category:Course]]
[[Category:Russian-Course]]
[[Category:0-to-A1-Course]]
[[Category:Russian-0-to-A1-Course]]
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==Videos==
==Videos==
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==Related Lessons==
 
==Sources==
* [https://www.russianlessons.net/lessons/lesson11_main.php Russian Plurals - Russian Language Lesson 11]
* [https://www.russiantutoring.com/post/how-to-express-plurality-in-russian How to Express Plurality in Russian]
* [https://www.russianforfree.com/grammar-of-russian-nouns-plural.php Russian grammar: Nouns in Nominative (plural) - Learn Russian for ...]
 
 
 
==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/Gender|Gender]]
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/Gender|Gender]]
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/How-to-Use-be|How to Use be]]
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/How-to-Use-be|How to Use be]]
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* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/Порядок-слов-в-русском-предложении|Порядок слов в русском предложении]]
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/Порядок-слов-в-русском-предложении|Порядок слов в русском предложении]]
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/Imperative-give-an-order|Imperative give an order]]
* [[Language/Russian/Grammar/Imperative-give-an-order|Imperative give an order]]


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[[Category:Course]]
|[[Language/Russian/Grammar/Noun-Gender|◀️ Noun Gender — Previous Lesson]]
[[Category:Russian-Course]]
|[[Language/Russian/Vocabulary/Numbers-1-10|Next Lesson — Numbers 1-10 ▶️]]
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Latest revision as of 17:39, 16 June 2023

◀️ Noun Gender — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Numbers 1-10 ▶️

Russian-Language-PolyglotClub.png
Russian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and Gender → Plurals

Introduction[edit | edit source]

In this lesson, we will focus on forming plurals of Russian nouns and recognizing the different plural endings for each gender. Understanding how to form plurals is an essential aspect of learning Russian grammar. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently form and use plural nouns in your Russian conversations.

Basic Rules for Forming Plurals[edit | edit source]

In Russian, forming plurals involves changing the endings of nouns. The specific ending that a noun takes in its plural form depends on its gender. There are three genders in Russian: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Let's explore the plural endings for each gender.

Plural Endings for Masculine Nouns[edit | edit source]

Masculine nouns usually end in a consonant or a soft sign (ь) in their singular form. When forming the plural, the ending -ы is added to masculine nouns that end in a consonant, while the soft sign is removed before adding -и.

Here are some examples:

Russian Pronunciation English
стол stol table
дом dom house
парк park park
папа papa dad

Note that some masculine nouns may have irregular plural forms. It is important to learn these irregularities as you progress in your Russian studies.

Plural Endings for Feminine Nouns[edit | edit source]

Feminine nouns usually end in -а or -я in their singular form. When forming the plural, the ending -ы is added to feminine nouns that end in -а, and the ending -и is added to feminine nouns that end in -я.

Here are some examples:

Russian Pronunciation English
машина mashina car
семья sem'ya family
улица ulitsa street
книга kniga book

Similarly to masculine nouns, some feminine nouns may have irregular plural forms.

Plural Endings for Neuter Nouns[edit | edit source]

Neuter nouns usually end in -о or -е in their singular form. When forming the plural, the ending -а is added to neuter nouns that end in -о, and the ending -я is added to neuter nouns that end in -е.

Here are some examples:

Russian Pronunciation English
окно okno window
море more sea
письмо pismo letter
время vremya time

As with masculine and feminine nouns, irregular plural forms exist for some neuter nouns.

Plural Forms of Nouns with Soft and Hard Stems[edit | edit source]

In addition to the gender-based plural endings, Russian nouns can also have soft or hard stems, which affect how the plural forms are constructed. A noun stem is the root form of a noun without any endings.

When a noun has a hard stem, the plural endings are added directly to the stem. For example, the noun "стол" (table) has a hard stem, so the plural form is "столы" (tables).

On the other hand, when a noun has a soft stem, the plural endings are added after a soft sign (ь). For example, the noun "день" (day) has a soft stem, so the plural form is "дни" (days).

It is important to pay attention to the stems of nouns when forming plurals, as they can affect the endings that are added.

Plural Forms of Nouns Ending in -ь[edit | edit source]

Nouns that end in a soft sign (ь) in their singular forms have a unique pattern for forming plurals. In these cases, the soft sign is replaced by the ending -и in the plural form.

Here are some examples:

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

Plural Forms of Nouns Ending in -й[edit | edit source]

Nouns that end in -й in their singular forms also have a specific pattern for forming plurals. In these cases, the -й is replaced by -и in the plural form.

Here are some examples:

Russian Pronunciation English
путь put' path
край kray region
рубль rubl' ruble
лай lay bark (noun)

Plural Forms of Nouns with Irregular Plural Endings[edit | edit source]

In addition to the regular plural endings we have discussed, there are several nouns in Russian that have irregular plural forms. These irregularities must be learned individually, as there are no specific rules governing them.

Here are some examples of nouns with irregular plurals:

Russian Pronunciation English
человек chelovek person
глаз glaz eye
зуб zub tooth
нож nozh knife

Take note of these irregular plural forms and practice using them in context to familiarize yourself with their usage.

Summary[edit | edit source]

In this lesson, we have learned how to form plurals of Russian nouns based on their gender and endings. We explored the plural endings for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, as well as the plurals of nouns with soft and hard stems. We also discussed the plurals of nouns ending in -ь and -й, as well as irregular plural forms.

It is important to practice forming and using plural nouns in order to internalize these grammar rules. As you continue your Russian language journey, you will encounter more nouns with unique plural forms. Keep exploring and expanding your knowledge to become proficient in Russian grammar.


Table of Contents - Russian Course - 0 to A1[edit source]


Alphabet and Pronunciation


Basic Phrases and Greetings


Nouns and Gender


Numbers and Time


Cases and Prepositions


Family and Relationships


Verbs and Conjugation


Food and Dining


Russian Traditions and Holidays


Travel and Transportation


Adjectives and Adverbs


Hobbies and Leisure Activities


Russian Literature and Arts

Videos[edit | edit source]

Russian lessons – Lesson 7 – Russian plurals - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Russian Grammar: Singular and Plural Nouns - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Beginning Russian: Plural Forms of Nouns - YouTube[edit | edit source]

Russian Cases - Accusative Plural - YouTube[edit | edit source]


Sources[edit | edit source]


Other Lessons[edit | edit source]



◀️ Noun Gender — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Numbers 1-10 ▶️

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