Changing a noun according to cases and numbers is a feature of the Russian language, making it one of the most difficult in the world not only for foreigners, but also for native speakers. Let's take a closer look at this.
Introduction to the topic
Many people already know that in Russian the ending will change if different questions are asked to the noun (this is the case change of the noun):
- Who/What? – plate, cabin boy, captain, grain, drops, paintings, chimpanzee.
- Who/What? - plates, cabin boy, captain, grain, drops, paintings, chimpanzees.
- Who/What? - a plate, cabin boy, captain, grain, drops, pictures, chimpanzees.
- Who/What? - a plate, cabin boy, captain, grain, drops, paintings, chimpanzee.
- Who/What? - a plate, a cabin boy, a captain, a grain, a drop, pictures, a chimpanzee.
- About whom/About what? – about the plate, about the cabin boy, about the captain, about the grain, about the drop, about the pictures, about the chimpanzee.
About how exactly the change of a noun by cases is called, the 4th grade will try to learn in the lessons.
Case is a form inwhich is the word in the sentence, it is necessary for it to competently, smoothly and harmoniously combine with the neighboring word.
Almost every elementary school student knows a funny poem illustrating the change of nouns by case:
Somehow from a thin maple branch
Green leaf unhooked.
He flew after the wind
Fly around the world.
Head spinning
At the maple leaf…
The wind carried him for a long time,
Dropped only on the bridge.
The same hour shaggy dog
Sniff - to a beautiful leaf.
Claw a tired leaf, Let's play a game.
"I won't go", skydiver
He shakes his head…
Wind suddenly with a green leaf, Like a whirlwind, swept up again, But our prankster is tired
And fell into my notebook…
Composing in the forest under the maple
Song about a leaf in love.
This change of nouns by case is called declension.
Nominative
The nominative case is the basic case, opposed to the rest of the oblique cases. Its shape is often equal to the root. It is never used with prepositions. The word in the nominative case is one of the two main members of the sentence:
The stone (subject) reliably blocked the entrance to the mysterious cave.
His heart ishardest stone (predicate).
Genitive
Previously, the genitive case was called "parent". And this is no accident! Its main function was to indicate the degree of kinship between people (daughter of the father, grandson of the grandmother, descendant of the clan). At present, it also denotes a certain connection between two words (the fate of a woman, the voices of nightingales, the character of a champion, the income of a firm). Can be used both with and without prepositions (ask the witch, flared up from a spark, demand from the boss, a hut near the sea, a surprise for a pet, wait until morning, run away from the monster).
Dative
It is interesting that initially this form was called the "generous" case, as it denoted the one for whom something is being done. Since then, the meaning of the case has expanded (the orphan is sad, to take revenge on enemies, to approach the gate, responded with voices).
Accusative
The accusative case is an indirect case expressing objective, subjective and adverbial meaning. The difficulty is that this form can sometimes coincide with the form of the genitive or nominative case.
To make sure that the case is accusative, you need to replace the word in doubt with a noun of the first declension.
I can clearly see the scarlet sail. I see the mast.
I looked at the lone wolf in horror. I look at dad.
Creative
This case was named so because it was used to denote a tool, later other functions appeared (write with a pen, catch a net, walk with friends, laugh at a fool).
Prepositional
In terms of frequency of use, the prepositional case ranks second after the nominative, it is always used with prepositions and serves to indicate time, place and who (or what) is being discussed (in the village, about benefits, at the monastery, on area).
To determine the case of a noun without error, you must first find the word on which it depends and with which it is associated. And ask him a question.
| Question words | Prepositions | Noun | Case |
| Who/What? | girl, servant, port, field, shadow, parents, highway | Nominative | |
| Who/What? | with, about, for, at, without, from, to, from | near the girl, at the servant, without a port, from the field, from the shadow, for parents, from the highway | Genitive |
| Who/What? | to, to | to the girl, to the servant, to the port, across the field, to the shade, to the parents, along the highway | Dative |
| Who/What? | through, pro, for, on, in, in | for the girl, about the servant, to the port, through the field, about the shadow, for the parents, through the highway | Accusative |
| Who/What? | before, between, over, under, behind, with, co | before the girl, above the servant, behind the port, above the field, under the shade, behind the parents, between the highway | Creative |
| About whom/About what? | at, on, in, oh, about | with a girl, about a servant, about a port, on a field, in the shade, about parents, on a highway | Prepositional |
How to remember cases?
There are 6 cases in Russian. Everyone has special questions. But in order to teach them not to be bored, assistants came to the rescue:
| Case | Question | Word Helper | Action |
| Nominative | Who? What? | is | head nod |
| Genitive | Whom? What? | no | negative head shake |
| Dative | Who? What? | gave | gesture suggesting to take an imaginary object |
| Accusative | Whom? What? | love | hand to heart |
| Creative | Who? What? | happy | hand stroking belly pretty |
| Prepositional | About whom? About what? | dream | hand to head, eyes up |
Let's study the change of nouns by cases - the Russian language will submit to us!
Changing nouns by case is called…
The answer we already know is declination. How many of them and what difficulties can be encountered? Properly changing nouns in cases is not difficult if you learn the main types of declension:
- all feminine nouns (except those that end in a soft sign), masculine -a/ya;
- masculine, those in the nominative ending in a consonant, neuter in -o/e;
- feminine, having the word "b" at the end.
| Declination | 1 fold | 2 fold | 3 fold | |||
| Gen | Women R. | Husband. R. | Husband. R. | Average R. | Women p | |
| Nominative | branch | uncle | temple | window | mouse | |
| Genitive | branches | uncles | temple | windows | mice | |
| Dative | branch | uncle | temple | window | mice | |
| Accusative | branch | uncle | temple | window | mouse | |
| Creative | branch | uncle | temple | window | mouse | |
| Prepositional | about branch | about uncle | about the temple | about the window | about mouse | |
Changing nouns by plural cases
Nouns in the plural have no division into declension types. The case is determined in the same way as in the singular: you just need to ask a question:
- Who/What? – teachers, sweets (nominative).
- Who/What? – teachers, sweets (genitive).
- Who/What? – teachers, sweets (dative).
- Who/What? - teachers, sweets(accusative).
- Who/What? – teachers, sweets (creative).
- About whom/About what? – about teachers, about sweets (prepositional).
Indeclensible nouns
In some cases, nouns change in cases without changing the ending:
- coat;
- cinema;
- kangaroo;
- cocoa;
- coffee;
- chimpanzee;
- pince-nez;
- hummingbird;
- pony;
- relay;
- fillet;
- highway;
- taxi;
- subway;
- aloe;
- comforter;
- dressing table;
- cafe;
- manto;
- cockatoo;
- dree;
- bet;
- interview;
- stew;
- jury;
- mashed potatoes;
- bureau;
- studio.
You just need to remember these words.
