Russian cases are one of the most challenging aspects of the language for learners.<\/p>\n
In this post, we’ll explain what grammatical cases are and we’ll break down the six Russian cases into their most essential parts.<\/p>\n
[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n
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Grammatical cases are used to categorize nouns and their modifiers, which are determiners, adjectives, participles and numerals. Each of the categories, or cases, corresponds to a grammatical function in the sentence. In short, they help to keep sentences logical and organized.<\/p>\n
Languages like English have largely lost this complex case category system, but other languages like German and Russian retain them.<\/p>\n
This is the case you use for sentence subjects. This is known as the basic form of the noun and it’s the one you will find in the dictionary. Nouns in the nominative case are the “who” or “what” of the sentence.<\/p>\n
\u041a\u043d\u0438\u0433\u0430<\/strong> \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0435. \u0421\u043e\u0431\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/strong> \u043b\u0430\u0435\u0442. This case tells you that something belongs to somebody. It’s used to show possession or show a relationship, which eliminates the need for other possessive markers (like the ‘s in English).<\/p>\n \u043e\u0444\u0438\u0441 \u043a\u043e\u043c\u043f\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0438<\/strong>,\u00a0\u0441\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430 \u0440\u0435\u0431\u0435\u043d\u043a\u0430<\/strong>,\u00a0\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/strong> \u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0430 These examples provide an understanding of how this case can be encountered in both English and Russian.<\/p>\n In Russian, however, the genitive case includes a range of prepositional phrases<\/a> that imply both a relationship and the lack of one.<\/p>\n Some of these are:<\/p>\n A relationship can also be expressed without a preposition. This has an equivalent in English phrases with the word “of”:<\/p>\n \u0431\u0443\u0442\u044b\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u0432\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/b>\u00a0(bottle of wine<\/strong>)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f \u0443\u0440\u043e\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>(time of the lesson<\/strong>)<\/p>\n This case is also used to answer the question\u00a0\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430?\u00a0<\/b>(from where?) using the preposition\u00a0\u0438\u0437\u00a0<\/b>(from, with reference to a location from which some movement began).<\/p>\n This case indicates that something is given or addressed to someone or something.<\/p>\n \u042f \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430\u043b \u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0435<\/strong>. Flowers is the direct object in this sentence while girlfriend<\/strong> is the indirect object. Noun cases of this type answer the questions\u00a0\u0447\u0435\u043c\u0443?\u00a0<\/b>(for what?) and\u00a0\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443?\u00a0<\/b>(for whom?).<\/p>\n It also answers the question\u00a0\u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430?\u00a0<\/b>(to where?) using the preposition\u00a0\u043a\u00a0<\/b>(to or towards) in a subtle distinction from what was mentioned earlier in the case for direct objects.<\/p>\n Note that \u0432\u00a0<\/b>and the accusative case are used when an area can be occupied due to the movement. \u043a\u00a0<\/b>and the indirect object indicate movement that is merely towards <\/em>or in the direction of<\/em> someone or something.<\/p>\n This case covers the direct object, also known as the object of a transitive verb.<\/p>\n \u041c\u0430\u0439\u043a \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0438\u0442 \u0412\u0435\u0440\u0443<\/strong>.\u00a0\u041c\u0430\u0439\u043a \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0438\u0442 \u0441\u0443\u043f<\/strong>. Vera<\/strong> and soup\u00a0<\/b>are the objects of Mike’s love and nouns here in the accusative case.<\/p>\n These nouns answer the questions\u00a0\u0447\u0442\u043e?\u00a0<\/b>(what?)\u2014as in, “What<\/strong> does Mike love?”\u2014and\u00a0\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e?\u00a0<\/strong>(who?).<\/p>\n In Russian, accusative nouns can also answer the question\u00a0\u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430?<\/b>\u00a0(to where?).<\/p>\n \u041a\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/strong> \u0442\u044b \u0438\u0434\u0451\u0448\u044c? (Where<\/strong> are you going?)<\/p>\n \u042f\u00a0\u0438\u0434\u0443 \u0432 \u043e\u0444\u0438\u0441<\/strong>. (I am going to the office<\/strong>.)<\/p>\n The word \u043e\u0444\u0438\u0441 <\/b>is the object, or exists in the accusative state in Russian. Note the implication of moving somewhere in\u00a0\u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430?\u00a0<\/b>(to where?) as opposed to the static positional aspect of\u00a0\u0433\u0434\u0435?\u00a0<\/strong>(where is\/are?).<\/p>\n This case is used to show which “instrument” (a thing or a person) that something is done with. You need the instrument in order for the action to be set into motion and\/or finished.<\/p>\n \u042f \u043f\u0438\u0448\u0443 \u0440\u0443\u0447\u043a\u043e\u0439<\/strong>. The pen <\/strong>in this sentence\u00a0<\/strong>is a tool used to perform an action and hence it is in the instrumental case.<\/p>\n Also remember that all uses of “with”\u00a0<\/b>in Russian, including those that actually take the preposition\u00a0\u0441<\/b>\u00a0(below) are regarded as being in the instrumental case, including when they refer to people.<\/p>\n Prepositions that call for the instrumental case are:<\/p>\n This case covers the “who” or “what” but as the sentence’s object (as opposed to the subject).<\/p>\n \u041a\u043d\u0438\u0433\u0430 \u043d\u0430<\/em> \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/strong>. The word \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0435\u00a0<\/strong>here\u00a0<\/strong>is a noun in the prepositional case. Russian nouns in this case are preceded by prepositions, such as \u0432\u00a0<\/i><\/strong>(in),\u00a0\u043d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong>(on) and\u00a0\u043e\/\u043e\u0431\u00a0<\/strong>(about).<\/p>\n The noun and preposition together answer the questions\u00a0\u043e \u0447\u0451\u043c?\u00a0<\/strong>(about what?),\u00a0\u043e \u043a\u043e\u043c?\u00a0<\/strong>(about whom?) and\u00a0\u0433\u0434\u0435?\u00a0<\/strong>(where?).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For more on Russian declension, which is the process of putting nouns and their modifiers in their correct case forms, check out this post:<\/p>\n Russian Declension: Grammar Rules and Resources<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThe book<\/strong> is on the table.<\/p>\n
\nThe\u00a0dog\u00a0<\/strong>is barking.<\/p>\nThe Genitive Case<\/h3>\n
\ncompany’s<\/strong> office, child’s<\/strong> sister, his<\/strong> team<\/p>\n\n
The Dative Case<\/h3>\n
\nI ordered flowers for my girlfriend<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe Accusative Case<\/h3>\n
\nMike loves Vera<\/strong>. Mike loves soup<\/b>.<\/p>\nThe Instrumental Case<\/h3>\n
\nI write with a pen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n
The Prepositional Case<\/h3>\n
\nThe book is on<\/em> the table<\/strong>.<\/p>\n