Russian Prepositional Case - Comprehensive Guide with Examples

The Russian prepositional case, also known as the locative case, is one of the six cases in the Russian language. It is used to indicate the location or position of a noun, and it usually follows the prepositions “в” or “на”. In this article, we will explore the rules and usage of the prepositional case in Russian.

• Basic Usage
• Declension of Nouns
• Usage with Time Expressions
• Usage with Verbs
• Formation of the Prepositional Case
• Usage of the Prepositional Case
• Examples of the Prepositional Case
• Conclusion

Basic Usage

The prepositional case is used after prepositions that indicate location or position. The most common prepositions used with the prepositional case are “в” (in) and “на” (on). For example:

• Я живу в Москве. (I live in Moscow.)
• Книга лежит на столе. (The book is on the table.)

In these examples, the prepositions “в” and “на” are followed by the prepositional case of the nouns “Москва” and “стол”.

Declension of Nouns

The declension of nouns in the prepositional case is different from other cases. The ending of the noun changes depending on its gender, number, and whether it ends in a consonant or a vowel.

• Masculine singular nouns that end in a consonant add the ending “-е”. For example: доме (in the house), чайнике (in the teapot).
• Feminine singular nouns that end in “-а” or “-я” add the ending “-е”. For example: квартире (in the apartment), стране (in the country).
• Feminine singular nouns that end in a consonant add the ending “-и”. For example: семье (in the family), ночи (at night).
• Neuter singular nouns that end in a consonant add the ending “-е”. For example: окне (in the window), море (at sea).
• Plural nouns of all genders add the ending “-ах” or “-ях”. For example: городах (in the cities), людях (among the people).

Note that some nouns may have irregular forms in the prepositional case. For example:

• вода (water) becomes воде (in the water)
• голова (head) becomes голове (on the head)
• год (year) becomes году (in the year)

Usage with Time Expressions

The prepositional case is also used with time expressions to indicate the time when an action takes place. The prepositions “в” and “на” are still used, but the endings of the time expressions change depending on the case.

• To indicate the time of day or a specific time, use the preposition “в” and the prepositional case. For example: в десять часов вечера (at ten o’clock in the evening), в субботу (on Saturday).
• To indicate a period of time, use the preposition “в” and the accusative case. For example: в течение года (during the year), в течение дня (during the day).
• To indicate the date, use the preposition “на” and the prepositional case. For example: на первое сентября (on September 1st), на Рождество (on Christmas).

Usage with Verbs

The prepositional case is also used with some verbs to indicate the object of the action. The most common verbs that are followed by the prepositional case are “говорить” (to speak), “думать” (to think), and “The Russian language has six cases, one of which is the prepositional case. This case is used after prepositions to indicate the location of something or someone. In this article, we will discuss the prepositional case in detail, including its formation, usage, and examples.

Formation of the Prepositional Case

The prepositional case is formed by adding a preposition to the noun, which changes the ending of the word. The endings of the prepositional case are as follows:

Singular:

• For feminine nouns ending in а/я: -е
• For masculine and neuter nouns ending in о/е: -е
• For all other nouns: -у/-ю

Plural:

• For all nouns: -ах/-ях

Usage of the Prepositional Case

The prepositional case is used to indicate the location of something or someone. It is also used after certain prepositions, such as в (in), на (on), о (about), при (near), and с (with). Below are some examples of the prepositional case in use:

• Я живу в Москве. (I live in Moscow.) In this sentence, Москва is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition в.
• Она говорит о своей работе. (She talks about her work.) In this sentence, работа is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition о.
• Я ем с моим другом. (I am eating with my friend.) In this sentence, друг is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition с.

The prepositional case can also be used with certain verbs that require a preposition, such as говорить о (to talk about) and думать о (to think about).

Examples of the Prepositional Case

1. В этом доме живут мои друзья. (My friends live in this house.) In this sentence, дом is not in the prepositional case because it is the subject of the sentence. However, мои друзья is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition в.

2. Я работаю на фирме. (I work at a company.) In this sentence, фирма is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition на.

3. Она говорит о своей семье. (She talks about her family.) In this sentence, семья is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition о.

4. Я иду в кино с моей девушкой. (I am going to the cinema with my girlfriend.) In this sentence, кино is not in the prepositional case because it is the object of the preposition в. However, моей девушке is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition с.

5. Мы учимся на курсах русского языка. (We are studying at Russian language courses.) In this sentence, курсы is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition на.

6. Я думаю о своей поездке в Россию. (I am thinking about my trip to Russia.) In this sentence, поездка is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition о.

Conclusion

In Russian, the prepositional case is used to indicate the location of a noun or pronoun in relation to another object. This case is often used with prepositions such as “в” (in), “на” (on), “о” (about), and “при” (near).

As with all cases in Russian, there are some irregularities and exceptions that you will need to memorize over time. Additionally, some prepositions can take different cases depending on the context in which they are used.

In general, mastering the prepositional case is important for communicating effectively in Russian, especially when describing location or discussing ideas and opinions. With practice and patience, you can become comfortable using the prepositional case in your conversations and writing.