A basic modern russian grammar

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from

A Basic
Modern
Russian
Grammar

Eugenia Nekrasova


© A Basic Modern Russian Grammar, Eugenia Nekrasova,1997.
© Graphic Design, eBook publisher, Dmitry Pobedimsky, 2002.
ISBN 5-85550-119-1

Ron Maxim, Director,
Government Cargo Support Services, Maersk Sealand, Atlanta, GA, USA:
...Mrs.Nekrasova`s book is very creative...
Frederick Lyons, Resident Representative,
United Nations Development Programme in the Russian Federation
This book very definitely helped me improve my Russian fluency.
With good humour and strong didactic principles it leads through the
difficulties of the Russian Grammar.
Markku Lehto, Chief of Moscow Bureau
of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Finland
The book is really very helpful. The explanations given in the
book are clear and inventive. The teaching materials have been very
well sorted.

To the Readers
This book is meant both for the learners and the teachers of Russian.
The name of the book speaks for itself: "A Basic Modern Russian Grammar".
The attention is focused on the facts of Modern Russian language which are
basic, of high frequency and in common use.
As most of the learners are not professional linguists the author tried to avoid
unnecessary linguistic terms.
The explanations, charts and presentation of grammar material enable the
learners of Russian understand some practical mechanisms of the language
in a certain logical order .
The teachers of Russian can use it in their practical work.
All the charts originally belong to the author.
The author expresses her deep gratitude to Mr D. Pobedimsky without whom
the book would not have succeeded and to Prof. T. Wade (UK) for his encouragement.
I wish you success,
Eugenia Nekrasova

Shortly about the Author
Eugenia Nekrasova, Moscow, Russia.
M.A. in Philology and Education, Moscow State University.
For many years she has been working as a full-time senior
teacher and lecturer for the USSR / Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Language Service, teaching
Russian, English and related subjects to foreign diplomats,
businessmen and journalists, including the staff of the United Nations Moscow
office, Sea Land CIS Logistics, Caterpillar Overseas, Ernst & Young, the State
Finnish Radio & TV Moscow office and many others.
Now she divides her time between teaching and writing books on language.
She has written five successful books on learning Modern Russian as a Second
Language and on learning English for people speaking Russian:
1. "A Basic Modern Russian Grammar" - 380 pages, "Gummerus", Helsinki,
Finland, 1998. Published in Finnish, translated from English. ISBN 951-20-5264-4
2. "Exercises in Basic Modern Russian Grammar" - 250 pages,
"Gummerus", Helsinki, Finland, 2000. Published in Finnish, translated from English. ISBN 951-20-5507-4
3. "Living & Working in the Former USSR" - 211 pages, colour illustrated,
succesfully practised course book of Modern Russian, best used for crashcourses. ISBN 5-85550-121-3
4. "Popular English Grammar" - 400 pages, "Slavyansky Dom Knigi" Publishers, Moscow, Russia,1999. First print - 25,000 copies. ISBN 5-93220-001-4
5. "English for Work and Travel" - 360 pages, "Slavyansky Dom Knigi" Publishers, Moscow, Russia, 2000, with D.Pobedimsky. First print - 15,000 copies.
ISBN 5-93220-052-9
The author would gladly accept any comments on the book
email:


Part 1
The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns
in the Singular

AGREEMENT BETWEEN WORDS IN RUSSIAN
There are 2 main types of relations between the words in a Russian
sentence: Agreement and Governing.
Agreement could be in Gender, Number and Person.
THE PRINCIPLE OF GENDER AGREEMENT
Agreement in Gender takes place:
between the long adjectives and the nouns,
between the adjectival pronouns and the nouns,
between the ordinal numerals and the nouns,
between the cardinal numeral «one» and nouns,
between the long participles and the nouns,
between the nouns/personal pronouns and the short participles
/short adjectives,
between the nouns/personal pronouns and the verbs in the Past
tense form.
Part 1 deals with the first five types of Gender Agreement.
Part 1 covers the problems of Gender Agreement between nouns and
words preceding them in units. I called the words preceeding nouns in
units - the characterizing words.
The characterizing words can be:
adjectives,
adjectival pronouns (possessive, demonstrative etc),
ordinal numerals,
long participles,
cardinal numeral «one».
You will learn:
how to establish the Gender of a noun and
how to make the Singular form Gender Agreement between nouns
and words characterizing them.

Part 1

page 1

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


HOW TO ESTABLISH THE GENDER OF A NOUN
All Russian nouns are attributed to one of the three genders:
Masculine (M), Feminine (F) or Neuter(N)
You will be glad to know that the gender of the majority of the Russian
nouns one can tell from the ending of the dictionary form (Nominative
Case).
The gender of nouns is mostly a formal thing.
Now you will learn how to determine the gender of a noun.
Nouns ending in consonants and -ộ are Masculine:

ọợỡ - house
ữồởợõờ - man

ọúó - friend
óợọ - city

ỡúỗộ -museum
ấốũộ - China

Nouns ending in -, -, -ỹ, -ố are Feminine:

ởó - Volga
ỡỡ - mama, mommy
ỡứớ - car
ủũũỹà - article
ớọồở - week
ụỡởố - surname
éợủủố - Russia
Nouns ending in -ợ, -ồ, -ỹồ, -ốồ are Neuter:

ỡủũợ - seat
ỡồ - sea
ờúù - compartment

ỗọớốồ - building
ũồởồõọồớốồ - TV
ỗọợõỹồ - health

But things are never that simple in languages:
irrespective of the Feminine -, - ending
a small group of nouns denoting males
E.g.
has Masculine gender agreement
ỡợộ (è) + ùù
Notice!
(so called ôNatural Masculinesằ):

h

ùù - father, dad
ỡúổữớ - man

ọọúứờ - grandfather
ọàọ - uncle

The following nouns are Neuter:

h

õỡ - time
Notice!
ỡ - name
ốớũồõỹỵ - interview
Part 1

ỡồớỵ - menu
ổỵ - jury
ũờủ - taxi
page 2

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


THE GENDER OF SOFT SIGN NOUNS
A very big group of nouns ending in -ĩ (soft sign) could be either

Feminine or Masculine.
The Gender of these nouns could be found in the dictionaries.

h

Nouns denoting males (ônatural masculinesằ) are Masculine: Notice!

óợủũỹ - guest, õợọũồởỹ - driver, úữũồởỹ - teacher,
ùốủũồởỹ - writer, ửỹ - Tzar, ờợởỹ - king,
õũỹ - goalkeeper etc.
Names of months ending in -ỹ are all Masculine:
ớõỹ - January, ụồõởỹ - February, etc.
ôNaturalằ feminines are all Feminine:
ỡũỹ - mother, ọợữỹ - daughter etc.
Nouns ending in -ỗớỹ, -ủũỹ, -ủỹ are Feminine:

ổốỗớỹ - life

ớõợủũỹ - news

ùọùốủỹ - signature etc.

The Gender of other soft sign nouns
has to be learned individually.

h
Notice!

REPLACING SINGULAR NOUNS BY PERSONAL PRONOUNS
A noun could be replaced by the following personal pronouns

depending on the established gender:

Masculine nouns by ợớ - he, it
ọồ õứ ọúó?
ọồ õứ ọợỡ?

ợũ ợớ.
ợũ ợớ.
Feminine nouns by ợớ - she, it
ọồ õứ ỡứớ?
ọồ õứ ỡỡ?

ợũ ợớ.
ợũ ợớ.

Neuter nouns by ợớ - it
ọồ õứồ ỡủũợ?
ọồ ơũợ ỗọớốồ?
Part 1

ợũ ợớ.
ợũ ợớ.

N

page 3

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


HOW TO ESTABLISH THE GENDER OF PLACE NAMES
All the place names could be divided into 2 groups:
First group
The place names have the endings which formally fit the Russian system
of endings:
M. ấốũộ, ềộởớọ, ỹồũớỡ, ỡ, ớốủộ - ợớ
F. éợủủ, ễốớởàớọố, ỡốờ, ởó - ợớ
N. ẽốỡỹồ - ợớ
Second group
There are many place names which do not fit the Russian system of
endings:

ờ, ẹữố, ềỏốởủố, ếởỹủốớờố, èốủủố, ềũố, ềờốợ, ẻớũốợ
These words exist only in this unchangeable (indeclinable) form. Their
gender is established in a special way (through association with the
ôgenericằ word).
FOREIGN INDECLINABLE NOUNS AND THEIR GENDER AGREEMENT
There is a group of nouns of foreign origin in Russian which do not decline.
E.g.

ứợủủ - highway
ỡồũ - subway
ũờủ - taxi, cab
ờụ - cafe
ờúù - compartment

ọốợ - radio (set)
ờốớ - movies, cinema
ũồởỹ - studio,dress shop
ỏỵ - office
ốớũồõỹỵ - interview
ùởỹũ - overcoat etc.

All these words are Neuter and their Gender agreement and pronoun
replacement is Neuter.
E.g.

èớủờợồ ứợủủ - Minsk highway - oớ
ốớũồủớợồ ốớũồõỹỵ - interesting interview - ợớ
ớõợồ ùởỹũ - new overcoat - ợớ
but óợàữốộ ờụồ - Masculine - hot coffee

h
Notice!

Part 1

page 4

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar

THE GENDER AGREEMENT BETWEEN NOUNS
AND CHARACTERIZING WORDS IN THE SINGULAR
The adjectives and adjectival words are registered in the dictionaries in the
Masculine.
You can make other gender forms on your own if you follow the rules which will
be stipulated further.
The gender agreement between nouns and adjectives
The Masculine adjectival endings which a foreign learner may trace from the
dictionary are as follows:

-ỷộ like in ớõỷộ - new, ốỗõủũớỷộ - famous
-ợộ like in ỏợởỹứộ - big, large, ùởợừộ - bad, ọợợóộ expensive, dear
-ốộ like in ủủờốộ - Russian, ớóởộủờốộ - English, ừợứốộ good, ỡởồớỹờốộ - small, little, ùợủởọớốộ - last
So, these adjectives can be attached to the nouns the gender of
which is marked or established as Masculine, for example:
Masculine adjective + Masculine noun
M.

M.

ớõỷộ + ọợỡ
M.

M.

ỏợởỹứộ + ọợỡ
M.

M.

ừợứốộ + ọợỡ
Feminine adjective + Feminine noun
To make a Feminine adjective to attach it to a Feminine noun, you have to
replace Masculine endings by - ending.

ỷộ, ợộ, ốộ
E.g.

M.

ớợõỷộ
new

F.


F.

ớợõ ỡứốớ
new car

M.

ỏợởỹứợộ
large, big
Part 1

F.

F.

ỏợởỹứ ỡứốớ
big car
page 5

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


M.

F.

ùởợừợộ
bad

F.

M.

ùởợừ ỡứốớ
bad car

M.

F.

ọợợóợộ
expensive
M.

F.

úủủờ ứờợở
Russian school

F.

ỡởồớỹờốộ
small, little

F.

ừợợứ ứờợở
good school

M.

F.

F.

ớóởốộủờ ứờợở
English school

M.

ọợợó ỡứốớ ừợợứốộ
good, nice
expensive car
F.

úủủờốộ
Russian

ớóởốộủờốộ
English

F.

F.

F.

ỡởồớỹờ ứờợở
small school

The only exception to this rule presents a limited group of
adjectives ending in -ớốộ like
ùợủởồọớốộ - last, ớớốộ - early, ùợỗọớốộ - late etc.

h
Notice!

-ốộ in -ớốộ is replaced by -

ùợủởồọớ| ủũớốử - last page

ùợỗọớ| ợủồớỹ - late autumn

ùợủởồọớ|ốộ
ùợỗọớ|ốộ

Neuter adjective + Neuter noun
To make the Neuter adjective to attach it to a Neuter noun, you have to
replace -ỷộ, -ợộ or -ốộ by -ợồ:

ớợõỷộ ớợõợồ ùởỹũợ - new overcoat
ỏợởỹứợộ
ỏợởỹứợồ ợờớợ - large window
ùởợừợộ ùởợừợồ ủùốủớốồ - bad schedule
úủủờốộ
úủủờợồ ủởợõợ - Russian word
ụốớủờốộ ụốớủờợồ ọốợ - Finnish radio
ỡởồớỹờốộ
ỡởồớỹờợồ ợờớợ - small window
Exception
But -ốộ is replaced by -ồồ if a Masculine adjective ends in

-ớốộ, -ổốộ, -ứốộ, -ữốộ, -ựốộ.
E.g.

ùợủởồọớ|ốộ
ủõồổ|ốộ
ừợợứ|ốộ
óợữ|ốộ
ớủũợự|ốộ
Part 1

N.

N.

ùợủởồọớ|ồồ ùốủỹỡợ - last letter
ủõồổ|ồồ ỡủợ - fresh meat
ừợợứ|ồồ ớủũợồớốồ - good mood
óợữ|ồồ ỡợởợờợ - hot milk
ớủũợự|ồồ õồỡ - present time

h
Notice!

page 6

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


THE GENDER AGREEMENT BETWEEN ADJECTIVES
AND NOUNS OF ADJECTIVAL ORIGIN
An adjectival noun has the form of an adjective but functions as a noun.
Most of the adjectival nouns result from the omission of a noun qualified
Notice!
by the adjective, for example:
M. úữáớỷộ (ữồởợõồờ) - scientist

F. õớớ (ờợỡớũ) - bathroom
M. úủủờốộ (ữồởợõồờ) - Russian (nat.)
F. ớỏồồổớ (úởốử) - embankment
M. ỏồỗỏợũớỷộ (ữồởợõồờ)-unemployed N. õũợợồ (ỏởỵọợ) - second course
N. óợữồồ (ỏởỵọợ) - main course
F. úủủờ (ổồớựốớ) - Russian (nat.)
N. ỡợợổồớợồ - ice-cream
F. ủũợởợõ (ờợỡớũ) - dining-room

h

So, the adjectival nouns are qualified like normal nouns:
M.

M.

h

ốỗõồủũớỷộ + úữáớỷộ - famous scientist
F.

F.

ỏợởỹứ + ủũợởợõ - large dining-room
N.

Notice!

N.

õờúủớợồ + ỡợợổồớợồ - delicious ice-cream
The possessive pronouns used as characterizing words
íũợ ỡợộ ọợỡ. M
This is my house.
N
íũợ ỡợá ỡồủũợ.
This is my seat.

My

íũợ ỡợ ỡứốớ.
This is my car.
F
M

íũợ ớứồ ỡồủũợ.
This is our seat. N
íũợ õứ ọợỡ?
Is this your house? M

íũợ ớứ ọợỡ.
This is our house.

Our

íũợ ớứ ỡứốớ.
F This is our car.

íũợ õứ ỡứốớ?
íũợ ũõợộ ọợỡ?

Your Is this your car?
Is this your house?
N (from ôõỷằ) F
M
íũợ õứồ ỡồủũợ?
íũợ ũõợ ỡứốớ?
Is this your seat?
íũợ ũõợá ỡồủũợ?
Your Is this your car?
Is this your seat? N (from ôũỷằ) F

Part 1

page 7

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


Possessive pronouns åãî (his), å¸ (her), èõ (their) do not
change according to the gender principle, they exist only in one
unchangeable form:
åãî
(his)

èõ
(their)

åãî äîì - his house
åãî ìàøèíà - his car
åãî ìåñòî - his place

å¸
(her)

èõ äîì - their house
èõ ìàøèíà - their car
èõ ìåñòî - their place

h
Notice!

å¸ äîì - her house
å¸ ìàøèíà - her car
å¸ ìåñòî - her place

Summary
ìîé, íàø, âàø, òâîé, åãî, å¸, èõ
+ äîì
ìîÿ, íàøà, âàøà, òâîÿ, åãî, å¸, èõ + ìàøèíà
ìî¸, íàøå, âàøå, òâî¸, åãî, å¸, èõ + ìåñòî
The demonstrative and determinative pronouns
used as characterizing words

ýòîò - this, the... close to hand
Âîò ýòîò äîì.
M Here is this house.

Âîò ýòî ìåñòî.
Here is this place. N

this

F

Âîò ýòà ìàøèíà.
Here is this car.

ýòî... - this is, that is - special case!
M.

Ýòî ìîé äîì.
This is my house.

F.

Ýòî ìîÿ ìàøèíà.
This is my car.

N.

Ýòî ìî¸ ìåñòî.
This is my seat.

Notice!
It is necessary to distinguish the characterizing ýòî, which changes
according to genders and ýòî used in the meaning of «this is, that is,
these are, those are». The latter is not a characterizing word, and it does

not change according to genders.

Part 1

page 8

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


ũợũ - that one, the one which was meant, distant object
M ợũ ũợũ ọợỡ.
Here is that house.
ợũ ũợ ỡồủũợ. N
Here is that place.

that

F ợũ ũ úởốử.

Here is that street.

ũờợộ - this kind, the same

ềờợộ ọợỡ?
M This kind of house?
this

kind

N

ềờợồ ùốõợ?
This kind of beer?

F

ềờ ỡứốớ?
This kind of car?

ũờợộ - used in expressive sentences like:
M ẹồóợọớ ũờợộ õồũồ!

It is so windy today!
N

ẹồóợọớ ũờợồ ủợởớửồ!
It is so sunny today!

F

ẹồóợọớ ũờ ổ!
It is so hot today!

ũờợộ - what a..., combines with long adjectives:
ềờợộ ủốởỹớỷộ õồũồ!
M
What a heavy wind!

ềờợồ ổờợồ ởồũợ!
What a hot summer!

Part 1

N

F

ềờ ủốởỹớ óợỗ!
What a heavy thunderstorm!
page 9

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


Similar meaning could be rendered by

ờờợộ - such a..., what a ...
ấờợộ ủốởỹớỷộ õồũồ!
M What a heavy wind!
ấờợồ ổờợồ ởồũợ!
What a hot summer! N

ấờ ủốởỹớ óợỗ!

F What a heavy thunderstorm!

ũờợộ ổồ - the same, the same kind as,
combines with long adjectives:

M

ềờợộ ổồ ọợỡ.
The same kind of house.
ềờ ổồ ỡứốớ.
F The same kind of car.

ềờợồ ổồ ùốõợ.
The same kind of beer. N
ủỡỷộ - the very, the most, most

Indicates precise location:
è. íũợ ủỡỷộ ửồớũ óợợọ. It`s the very centre of the city.
Combines with long adjectives to denote superlative meaning:
íũợ ủỡỷộ ỏợởỹứợộ ọợỡ. M

This is the biggest house.

íũợ ủỡ ọợợó ỡứốớ.
This is the most expensive car.

N

F

íũợ ủỡợồ úọợỏớợồ ỡồủũợ.
This is the most comfortable seat.
ũợũ ủỡỷộ - the same, the very, mentioned before
ợũ ũợũ ủỡỷộ ọợỡ.
M

ợũ ũợ ủỡợồ ỡồủũợ.
N

Part 1

ợũ ũ ủỡ ỡứốớ.
F

page 10

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


The Interrogative Pronouns used as characterizing words
The Interrogative Pronouns are used in questions:

ờờợộ - what, which, what kind of, what is the number of..?
ấờợộ?
M

ấờ?

ấờợồ?

F

N

ấờợộ ú õủ õóợớ?

What is your carriage number?
What is the class of your carriage?

ấờợộ ợớ ữồởợõồờ?

What kind of person is he?

ấờợộ ú õủ ũồởồụợớ?

What is your telephone number?
What kind of telephone do you have?

ấờ ỗõũ ỏúọồũ ùợóợọ? What is the weather like tomorrow?
ấờ ú õủ ờõũố?

What kind of apartment do you have?
What is the number of your apartment?

ấờợồ ú õủ ờúùồ?

What is the number of your compartment?
What is the class of your compartment?

ấờợồ ú õủ ỡồủũợ?

What is the number of your seat?

ữồộ? - Whose..?

Who is the owner? To whom it belongs?
ữồộ? ìồộ ýũợ ọợỡ?
M Whose is this house?
N whose? F

ữỹá?
ìỹá ýũợ ờúùồ?
Whose is this compartment?
Part 1

ữỹ? ìỹ ýũợ ỡứốớ?
Whose is this car?
page 11

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar

Other characterizing words

õồủỹ - all, the whole

õồủỹ ọồớỹ - the whole day

M

õủ ủũớ
all,
õủá õồỡ - all the time N the whole F - the whole country
ợọốớ - one, a...

ợọốớ ọợỡ
M - one house, a house

ợọớợ ỡồủũợ
- one seat, a place N

a...
one,

F

ợọớ ỡứốớ
- one car, a car

ủỡ - is an emphatic pronoun, it can characterize both nouns and
personal pronouns:
M ợớ ủỡ - he himself

ủỡợ - by itself N

...self

F ợớ ủỡ - she herself

THE GENDER OF NOUNS DENOTING PROFESSIONS IN RUSSIAN
Names of professions ending in consonants and the soft sign are
exclusively masculine as originally they were male dominated.

h

Notice!
ẻớ

E.g.: ẻớ
profession
õữ - doctor
è.

è.

ừợợứốộ õữ

è.

è.

ừợợứốộ õữ

The characterizing words are always Masculine irrespective of sex:
Some other popular nouns denoting professions:

ốờũợ - announcer, ọốồờũợ - director, úữốũồởỹ - teacher,
ùồọủồọũồởỹ - chairman, ùợụồủủợ - professor, ùợõ - cook,
ốớổồớồ - engineer, ỏúừóởũồ - bookkeeper, ũồớồ - trainer,
ýờủờúủợõợọ - guide, ồổốủủá - film-director, ụợũợóụ photographer, ồọờũợ - editor etc.
Part 1

page 12

The Gender Agreement of Russian Nouns in the Singular

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


Part 2
The Plural of Nouns.
The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.
SINGULAR - ONLY NOUNS
Not all the nouns have both Singular and Plural forms.
There are nouns which exist only in the Singular.
They include nouns which denote:
ôcollectivesằ:

h
Notice!

ùợủúọ - dishware, ỡồỏồởỹ - furniture, ợỏúõỹ - footware, ợúổốồ weapons,
ợọồổọ - clothes, ờợủỡồũốờ - cosmetics, etc.
human activities:

ùợởốũốờ - policy/politics, ùợỡỷứởồớớợủũỹ - industry, ýờợớợỡốờ
- economy/economics, ỡồọốửốớ - medicine, ủùợũ - sports,
ũồởồõốọồớốồ - television, ọốợ - radio, etc.
substances; foods, cereals, fruits and vegetables:

ỗợởợũợ - gold, ớồụũỹ - oil, ứồủũỹ - wool, ỡủởợ - oil, butter, ùốõợ
- beer, ốủ - rice, ỡủợ - meat, ỡúờ - flour, õốớợóọ - grapes,
ốỗỵỡ - raisins, ờùúủũ - cabbage, ởúờ - onion, ứợờợởọ chocolate, etc.
feelings and sensations: ủữủũỹồ - happiness, ỗõốủũỹ - envy, etc.
FORMATION OF PLURAL NOUNS
The nouns of all Genders make Plural forms with the help of 2 groups
of endings: First Group
-ỷ or -ố ending: Big Group of Masculine& Feminine Nouns

Second Group
- or - ending: Small Group of Masculine & Neuter Nouns
First Group: Masculine & Feminine Nouns
-ỷ ending (ôhard lineằ) after hard consonants
Singular

Plural

M. ữồỡợọớ
M. ờợỡùỹỵũồ
M. ốớợủũớồử

ữồỡợọớỷ - suitcases
ờợỡùỹỵũồỷ - computers
ốớợủũớửỷ - foreigners etc.
-ỷ ending instead of -
F. ỡứốớ
ỡứốớỷ - cars
F. ờõũố ờõũốỷ - apartments
F. ổồớựốớ ổồớựốớỷ - women
etc.

Part 2

page 13

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


Singular

M.
M.
M.
M.
F.
M.

F.
F.

Plural

ọồớỹ
ủởợõỹ
úỏởỹ
óợủũỹ
ớợữỹ
ỡúỗồộ
ớồọồở
ụợũợóụố

ọớố
ủởợõố
úỏởố
óợủũố
ớợữố
ỡúỗồố
ớồọồởố
ụợũợóụốố -

days
dictionaries
roubles
guests
nights
museums
weeks

photos

ó, ờ, ừ,+ ố
Singular

F. ờớốó
M. úữồỏớốờ
F. ủùốữờ
M. ủởúừ
etc.

Special cases!

Plural

ờớốóố - books
úữồỏớốờố -textbooks
ổ, ữ, ứ, ự + ố
ủùốữờố - matches
Singular
Plural
ủởúừố - rumours
F. ởỷổ
ởỷổố - skies
M. ớợổ
ớợổ - knives
M. õữ
õữ - doctors
M. ùởự
ùởự - raincoats

etc.
Second Group: Masculine and Neuter nouns
This group is much smaller than the -ỷ, -ố group but the nouns are
frequently used.
- ending (ôhard lineằ) after hard consonants in the Masculine nouns

Singular

óợợọ
ọợỡ
ởồủ
ùợồỗọ
õồữồ
ợủũợõ
ửõồũ
ỏồồó
ùủùợũ
ủữáũ
ớợỡồ
ỡủũồ
Part 2

Plural

óợợọ
ọợỡ
ởồủ
ùợồỗọ
õồữồ

ợủũợõ
ửõồũ
ỏồồó
ùủùợũ
ủữồũ
ớợỡồ
ỡủũồ

- cities, towns
- houses
- forests, woods
- trains
- evenings
- islands
- colors
- banks, coasts
- passports
- bills, accounts
- numbers, hotel rooms
- craftsmen etc.
page 14

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar
-ố ending (ôsoft lineằ) instead of -ỹ, -ộ and -

ending instead of -o in Neuter nouns (ôhard lineằ)

-

ỗồợ
ủởõợ
ởốử
ờủởợ
ộử
ùốủỹỡ
ợờớ
ủũồờở

ợỗá - lakes
ủởợõ - words
ởử - faces
ờủở - armchairs
ộử - eggs
ùủỹỡ - letters
ờớ - windows
ủũáờở - window glasses etc.

also õỡ

õồỡồớ - times
ỡ
ốỡồớ - names
- ending (ôsoft lineằ) instead of -ồ in Neuter nouns
ùợởồ

ùợở - fields

ỗọớốồ

ỗọớố - buildings

ùồọởợổồớốồ

ùồọởợổồớố - sentences, offers

SPECIAL CASES OF PLURAL NOUN FORMATION
Singular

Plural

ọúó

ọúỗỹ - friends

ọồồõợ
ỏũ
ủỷớ
ủũúở
ởốủũ

ọồồõỹ - trees
ỏũỹ - brothers
ủỷớợõỹ - sons
ủũúởỹ - chairs
ởốủũỹ - leaves

Singular

Plural

ồỏáớợờ
ữồởợõồờ

ọồũố - children
ởỵọố - people

Part 2

Singular

Plural

ủợủồọ

ủợủồọố - neighbours
óợủùợọốớ
óợủùợọ - sirs,
ladies & gentlemen
ừợỗốớ
ừợỗồõ - owners
ỏởợờợ
ỏởợờố - apples
úừợ
úứố - ears

page 15

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


Singular

Plural

ừốủũốớốớ
ỡúủúởỹỡớốớ
ợủủốớốớ
ớóởốữớốớ
ọũữớốớ
ờồủũỹớốớ
óổọớốớ
ỡớốớ
ửỷóớ

ừốủũốớồ - Christians
ỡúủúởỹỡớồ -Muslims
ợủủốớồ - citizens of Russia
ớóởốữớồ - English
ọũữớồ - Danes
ờồủũỹớồ -peasants
óổọớồ - citizens

ỡớồ - Armenians
ửỷóớồ - Gypsies
etc.

ờợũáớợờ

ờợũũ - kittens

ửỷùởáớợờ

ửỷùởũ - chiủken

etc.

PLURAL-ONLY NOUNS
Some nouns do not have the Singular form. They exist only in the Plural
form (registered in the dictionaries in the Plural form). These words denote:
objects which consist of two parts:

ợữờố - glasses, ớợổớốửỷ - scissors, õồủỷ - scales, ờữồởố swings, õợợũ - gate, ỏỵờố - trousers, ọổốớủỷ - jeans, ũúủỷ
- pants, ờợởóợũờố - tights etc.
collective actions:

ờớốờúởỷ - school or university vacation, ùồồóợõợỷ negotiations, õỷỏợỷ - elections, óủũợởố - tour (of artists),
ùợừợợớỷ - funeral, ùợõợọỷ - farewell party, ùũờố - hide and
seak, ợọỷ - childbirth etc.
also the following words:

ọồớỹóố - money, ứừỡũỷ - chess, ữủỷ - clock, watch, ờúớũỷ
- chimes, ũốũỷ - subtitles, ờúọố - curls, ủớờố - sledge, ợùốởờố

- saw-dust, ợỏợố - wallpaper, ọợõ - firewood, ỡồỡúỷ memoirs, ủữáũỷ - abacus, ùởợọốủỡồớũỷ - applause etc.
Part 2

page 16

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


ọúừố - perfume, ựố - cabbage-soup, ỡờợớỷ - spaghetti,
ờợớủồõỷ - preserves, ủởốõờố - cream etc.
ủúũờố - 24 hours period, ủúỡồờố - dusk, ỗỡợợỗờố - early frost
Some place names
some mountains:

ấùũỷ, ởỹùỷ, ốỡởố, ớọỷ etc.
some islands:

ấúốởỷ, õộố, ấớỷ, ồỡúọỷ, ễồỷ etc.
some countries:

ễốởốùùốớỷ, ốọồởớọỷ, ẹợồọốớáớớỷồ ỉũũỷ ỡồốờố
also

ũợùốờố - tropics, ọổúớóởố - jungle
ậúổớốờố, ẹợờợởỹớốờố, and lot of other geographic names mainly
denoting villages and towns on the territory of the former Soviet Union.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS IN THE PLURAL
All the plural nouns can be replaced by the personal pronoun ợớố

ợớố
they
E.g. íũợ ỡợố ọúỗỹ.

íũợ ỡợố ờớốóố.
These are my books.
ẻớố ớ ùợởờồ.
They are on the shelf.
Part 2

These are my friends.
ẻớố ủồộữủ ổốõúũ õ ậợớọợớồ.
They live in London now.

page 17

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN NOUNS AND CHARACTERIZING WORDS
IN THE PLURAL
The Plural of Adjectives

Characterizing words also have the Plural form. All three Singular forms
- Masculine, Feminine and Neuter fall into one Plural form:
Masculine

Feminine

Neuter

Plural

ỷộ, ợộ group, for example:
Plural

Singular
M.
F.
N.

ớợõỷồ ọợỡ - new houses
ớợõỷồ ỡứốớỷ - new cars
ớợõỷồ ủởợõ - new words

ớợõỷộ ọợỡ - new house
ớợõ ỡứốớ - new car
ớợõợồ ủởợõợ - new word

Singular
M.
F.
N.

Plural

ỗợởợũợộ ỏủởồũ - golden bracelet
ỗợởợũ ỡồọởỹ - gold medal
ỗợởợũợồ ờợởỹửợ - golden ring

ỗợởợũỷồ ỡồọởố
- gold medals
Summing - up table
M.

F.

N. Plural

-ỷộ - - ợồ - ỷồ
-ợộ - - ợồ - ỷồ
ớốộ group, for example:
M. ùợủởồọớốộ úợờ - last lesson
F. ùợủởồọớ ủũớốử - last page
N. ùợủởồọớồồ ủởợõợ - last word
Plural

Summing - up table
M.

N.

Plural

-ớốộ -ớ -ớồồ

-ớốồ

Part 2

F.

ùợủởồọớốồ úợờố - last lessons
ùợủởồọớốồ ủũớốửỷ - last pages
ùợủởồọớốồ ủởợõ - last words

page 18

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


MIXED PLURAL ADJECTIVAL ENDINGS
A big group of commonly used adjectives has the following peculiarities in
the Plural formation:
The adjectives with stems ending in ã, ê, õ
have -èå Plural ending
(both spelt and pronounced), for example:

-ãèé, -êèé, -õèé,

-ãîé, -êîé, -õîé
group

strict
ñòðîãèé
ñòðîãàÿ
ñòðîãîå

M.
F.
N.

Plural

M.

ñòðîãèå

F.
N.

Russian
ðóññêèé
ðóññêàÿ
ðóññêîå

M.
F.
N.

M.
F.
N.

Plural

ðóññêèå

sity, urban
ãîðîäñêîé Plural
ãîðîäñêàÿ ãîðîäñêèå
ãîðîäñêîå

M.
F.

M.
F.
N.

expensive, dear
äîðîãîé Plural
äîðîãàÿ äîðîãèå
äîðîãîå

bad, poor
ïëîõîé Plural
ïëîõàÿ ïëîõèå
ïëîõîå

N.

quiet, calm
òèõèé Plural
òèõàÿ òèõèå
òèõîå

Summing - up table
M.

F.

N.

Pl.

ãèé - ãàÿ - ãîå - ãèå
êèé - êàÿ - êîå - êèå
õèé - õàÿ - õîå - õèå

Part 2

M.

F.

N.

Pl.

ãîé - ãàÿ - ãîå - ãèå
êîé - êàÿ - êîå - êèå
õîé - õàÿ - õîå - õèå

page 19

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


The adjectives with stem in æ, ø, ÷, ù
have their Plural form spelt with -èå,
but pronounced -ûå, e.g.:

-æèé, -øèé, -÷èé,
-ùèé, -æîé, -øîé
group

M.
F.
N.

fresh
ñâåæèå
ñâåæàÿ
ñâåæåå

Plural

ñâåæèå

M.
F.
N.

M.
F.
N.

M.
F.
N.

good, nice
õîðîøèé
õîðîøàÿ
õîðîøåå

hot
ãîðÿ÷èé
ãîðÿ÷àÿ
ãîðÿ÷åå

Plural

M.

õîðîøèå

F.
N.

Plural

M.

ãîðÿ÷èå

F.
N.

big, large
áîëüøîé Plural
áîëüøàÿ áîëüøèå
áîëüøîå
alien
÷óæîé
÷óæàÿ
÷óæîå

Plural

÷óæèå

present, real, true, genuine
íàñòîÿùèé Plural
íàñòîÿùàÿ íàñòîÿùèå

íàñòîÿùåå

Summing - up table
M.

F.

N.

Pl.

æèé - æàÿ - æåå - æèå
æîé - æàÿ - æîå - æèå
øèé - øàÿ - øåå - øèå

M.

F.

N.

Pl.

øîé - øàÿ - øîå - øèå
÷èé - ÷àÿ - ÷åå - ÷èå
ùèé - ùàÿ - ùåå - ùèå

Memorize
Ñâåæèå ãîðÿ÷èå õîðîøèå áîëüøèå õðóñòÿùèå áóëî÷êè fresh hot good big crunchy buns
Part 2

page 20

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar


The Possessive pronouns in the Plural

our

my
M. ỡợộ
F. ỡợ
N. ỡợá

Plural

ỡợố
ỡợố ờởỵữố
- my keys

M. ớứ
F. ớứ
N. ớứồ

your from ôõỷằ

M. õứ
F. õứ
N. õứồ

Plural

õứố
õứố ờởỵữố
- your keys

Plural

ớứố
ớứố ờởỵữố
- our keys

your from ôũỷằ
M. ũõợộ
F. ũõợ
N. ũõợá

Plural

ũõợố
ũõợố ờởỵữố
- your keys

But his - ồóợ, her - ồá, their - ốừ have only one form for all Genders
and Numbers:

ồóợ ờởỵữố - his keys, ồá ờởỵữố - her keys, ốừ ờởỵữố - their keys
The Demonstrative pronouns in the Plural
M. ýũợũ
F. ýũ
N. ýũợ

M. ũờợộ
F. ũờ
N. ũờợồ

M. ũờợộ ổồ
F. ũờ ổồ
N. ũờợồ ổồ

Part 2

Plural

ýũố
ýũố ờởỵữố
- these keys
Plural

ũờốồ
ũờốồ ờởỵữố
- this kind of keys

M. ũợũ
F. ũ
N. ũợ

M. ờờợộ
F. ờờ
N. ờờợồ

Plural

ũồ
ũồ ờởỵữố
- those keys
Plural

ờờốồ
ấờốồ ốọốợũỷ!
- What kind of idiots
they are!

Plural

ũờốồ ổồ
ũờốồ ổồ ờởỵữố
- same kind of keys
page 21

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar

M. ủỡỷộ ọợợóợộ
F. ủỡ ọợợó
N. ủỡợồ ọợợóợồ
M. ũợũ ủỡỷộ
F. ũ ủỡ
N. ũợ ủỡợồ

Plural

ủỡỷồ ọợợóốồ ủỡỷồ ọợợóốồ ỡóỗốớỷ
- most expensive shops

Plural

ũồ ủỡỷồ ũồ ủỡỷồ ờởỵữố - same kind of keys

The Interrogative Pronouns in the Plural

What kind of?
What?
Whose?

M. ờờợộ?
F. ờờ?
N. ờờợồ?
M. ữồộ?
F. ữỹ?
N. ữỹá?

Plural

ờờốồ? ấờốồ ú õủ ùởớỷ?
What are your plans?
Plural

ữỹố? ìỹố ýũợ ờởỵữố?
Whose are these keys?

h

ợọớố - only, alone, a pair of ...
M. ợọốớ
F. ợọớ
N. ợọớợ

Notice!

Plural

ợọớố

ợọớố ợữờố - one pair of glasses

ềỡ ỏỷởố ợọớố ọồũố.
There were only children there. etc.

1

The Plural of Other Characterizing Words - all, the whole

M. õồủỹ
F. õủá
N. õủ
M. ủỡ
F. ủỡ
N. ủỡợ

Plural

õủồ

õủồ õồựố - all the things
õủồ ởỵọố - all the people

Plural

ủỡố ...selves

ợớố ủỡố -they themselves

also ỡớợóốồ - many (people)

ớồờợũợỷồ - some (people)
Part 2

page 22

The Plural of Nouns. The Number Agreement of Russian Nouns.

Eugenia Nekrasova

A Basic Modern Russian Grammar