Cases are a very large and complicated topic. Nouns, adjectives, pronouns and numerals can be changed by the cases. Today we will understand the basic rules of the use of cases on the example of nouns.
For example, in English, pronouns will indicate the role of a word in a sentence. And the subject in most situations should come first. In Russian, the word order in a sentence is flexible, and therefore cases are very important.
Compare: “Маша увидела Сашу” and “Сашу увидела Маша” (Masha saw Sasha) — in both cases the meaning is the same, and who is the object and the subject helps to understand the case ending.
They help to determine the role of a word in a sentence: whether it performs an action, whether an action is directed at it, whether an action is performed with it.
There are six cases in total in the Russian language: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental and prepositional. Each case in the Russian language has a certain set of questions, and the words in each case have characteristic endings.
Questions: Who?, What?
It is used when: you name the object and the person performing the action; you address someone, refer the object or person to a group. Words in dictionaries are represented in the nominative case.
Examples:
Дети идут в школу. — Children go to school.
Маша, положи тетрадь на стол. — Masha, put the notebook on the table.
Шкаф — это мебель. — A wardrobe is a piece of furniture.
“Дети”, “Маша” and “шкаф” are used in the nominative case.
Questions: “Whose?”, “Whom?”
Possible prepositions: без (without), возле (near), вокруг (around), для (for), до (before, until), из (from), около (near), от (from), после (after), с (with), у (at).
It is used when: talking about the absence of something; denoting belonging, talking about the person who has something; denoting a date or event; talking about movement, denoting the starting point of movement (from where = from what).
Examples:
У меня нет желания идти туда. — I have no desire to go there.
Моя книга у мамы. — My mom’s got my book.
Моя сестра родилась первого мая. — My sister was born on May 1st.
Папа пришел с работы. — Dad came home from work.
“Желания”, “мамы”, “мая” and “работы” are used in the genitive case.
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Questions: “To whom?”
Possible prepositions: к (to), по (by).
It is used when: you give something to another person; you walk, approach someone or something; you describe a person and an object in some state; the preposition “по” + surface or means of communication / media.
Examples:
Я вернул книгу другу. — I returned the book to my friend.
Мы подошли к кафе. — We went to the cafe.
Мне сегодня очень весело. — I’m enjoying myself today.
Я шел по пляжу и разговаривал по телефону. — I walked along the beach and talked on the phone.
“Другу”, “кафе”, “мне”, “пляжу” and “телефону” are used in the dative case.
Questions: (to see) “Who?”, “What?”
Possible prepositions: в/во (in), на (on, to), за (behind), через (through), про (about).
It is used when: you name the direction of movement (where = into what, to what); you name the object to which the action is directed.
Examples:
Я вчера купила новое платье. — I bought a new dress yesterday.
Завтра я пойду на работу пораньше. — I’ll go to work early tomorrow.
“Платье” and “работу” are used in the accusative case.
Questions: “By whom?”, “By what?”
Possible prepositions: над (over), под (under), за (behind), с (with), перед (in front of).
It is used when: you name the tool or person with which the action is performed; you talk about something that the object is interested in.
Examples:
Я предпочитаю рисовать карандашами. — I prefer drawing with pencils.
Я хочу пойти гулять сегодня с тобой. — I want to go for a walk with you today.
Мой брат интересуется античной архитектурой. — My brother is interested in ancient architecture.
“Карандашами”, “тобой” and “архитектурой” are used in the dative case.
Questions: “About who?”, “About what?”
Possible prepositions: об/обо (about), о (about), в (in), на (on), при (at).
It is used when: you designate the location or transport on which you are moving (where = in what, on what); to talk about the subject or person of thoughts or speech.
Examples:
В этом году мы поедем в отпуск на поезде. — This year we will go on holiday by train.
Дети бегают во дворе. — Children are running in the yard.
Я часто думаю о прошлом лете. — I often think about the past summer.
“Поезде”, “дворе” and “лете” are used in the prepositional case.
In the Russian language nouns have three types of conjugation, as well as the plural. And the change of words by case (ending) will depend on the type of conjugation and number.
Among other things, there are words in the Russian language that remain unchanged in any case, i.e. they do not conjugate in cases, and also do not change in number. Therefore, knowing the endings will not always help.
Most often those are words that come from other languages.
кофе;
евро;
кафе;
метро;
пианино;
пальто;
такси;
рагу;
шимпанзе.
Кофе обладает ярким ароматом (nominative case). — Coffee has a bright aroma.
Я люблю крепкий кофе (accusative case). — I like strong coffee.
С утра мне не хватает кофе (genitive case). — I miss coffee in the morning.
Now the topic of cases has become a little closer to you. But there are still a lot of nuances and difficult moments in it. Follow the articles on our website, or even better – enroll in the school of Russian as a foreign language “Leader” and discover all the subtleties of the language under the guidance of our experienced teachers.
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