Mastering Russian Noun Declensions: Essential Grammar
In this post we’re going to look at Russian noun declensions. That is, the patterns of changes that Russian nouns undergo when they are used in different grammatical cases. If you need a refresher on the six Russian noun cases and how they’re used, check out this post. Here, we’re going to focus on the forms the nouns take rather than how they function.
We’ll divide Russian cases into the traditional categories that have been used to teach the language. You’ll see that there aren’t very many of them, so the task of learning Russian noun declensions isn’t so daunting. First, we’ll start with some basic principles to help you know which declension pattern to follow. This includes gender, the nature of the ending of the stem, and keeping in mind some important spelling rules. After that we’ll look at feminine nouns. Then we’ll turn to masculine nouns. Next, we’ll look at neuter nouns. Finally, we’ll see several common irregular nouns.
Russian Noun Declension Basics
First, let’s look at a few key concepts that will help you figure out which declension pattern to use. You know that there are six cases in Russian. (If you need a refresher, see this post.) Each case has both singular and plural forms, so each noun has a total of twelve forms. (With some repeated forms sometimes.) But there are several different declension patterns to choose from, so how do you know which one to use? It all comes down to gender and type of ending on the noun.
Gender
First, you need to know the gender of the noun you want to decline. In almost all cases, it’s easy to tell the gender of a Russian noun based on the noun ending.
- Masculine nouns have these endings:
consonants: стол (table), дом (house), брат (brother)
–й: музей (museum), герой (hero)
–ь: словарь (dictionary), учитель (teacher) - Feminine nouns have these endings:
–а: мама (mom), книга (book), сестра (sister)
–я: неделя (week), кухня (kitchen)
–ь: тетрадь (notebook), ночь (night), мышь (mouse) - Neuter nouns have these endings:
–о: окно (window), письмо (letter)
–е: море (sea), здание (building)
–мя: имя (name), время (time): irregular declension
Notice that the only ending you really need to worry about is –ь, which can be either masculine or feminine. In all other cases, specific endings match with specific genders. Just remember –я is feminine and –мя is neuter. There are only about ten neuter nouns ending in –мя.
Hard and Soft Endings
Once you’ve figured out the gender of your noun, you need to ask yourself which type of ending it has, hard or soft.
- Hard endings: consonant (m.), –а (f.), and –о (n.)
- Soft endings: –й/–ь (m.), –я/–ь (f.), and –е/-мя (n.)
All of the soft endings are palatalized, meaning they are softened with a y sound: –ей is pronounced ey, —я is pronounced ya, –е is pronounced ye, –ль is pronounced a bit like l followed by –y, and so on. As you’ll see below, the soft declensions look like softer versions of the hard declensions.
Spelling Changes
Finally, the last thing you need to remember are just a few important spelling rules. These rules are relevant to a few areas of Russian grammar, including noun declensions, and if you memorize them, they’ll make your life much easier.
- After the consonants Г, К, Х, Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ write -и instead of -ы.
- After the consonants Г, К, Х, Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ, Ц write –а or –у instead of –я or –ю.
- After the consonants Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ, Ц write е instead of unstressed о.
We’ll point out examples of how these spelling rules affect noun declensions.
Russian Noun Declension Patterns
Now let’s turn to actual Russian noun declensions. We’ll divide them by gender and subcategory (hard or soft), with several example nouns of each type.
Stress Shifts
The stress for most Russian nouns is fixed on the noun stem. This means that the stress remains on the same vowel, regardless of the ending, and doesn’t move. However, there are cases in Russian where stress moves from the stem to the ending when there is an ending. And there are also cases of mobile stress, where it moves back and forth between stem and ending. These shifts aren’t predictable, although masculine one and two syllable words are the most likely to show them. Because stress isn’t always predictable, we’ll mark the stressed syllable with an acute accent: сто́л – стола́ – столу́…
Feminine Noun Declensions
We’ll start with the feminine declensions, because these are traditionally listed as “first declension,” and because there are similarities between the masculine and neuter declensions that we’ll group together.
Feminine Strong Declension: Singular
Feminine nouns that end in –а follow a strong declension.
| case | ending | newspaper | apartment | cat | summer house |
| Nom | –а | газе́та | кварти́ра | ко́шка | да́ча |
| Gen | –ы | газе́ты | кварти́ры | ко́шки (1) | да́чи (1) |
| Dat | –е | газе́те | кварти́ре | ко́шке | да́че |
| Acc | –у | газе́ту | кварти́ру | ко́шку | да́чу |
| Ins | –ой | газе́той | кварти́рой | ко́шкой | да́чей (2) |
| Pre | –е | газе́те | кварти́ре | ко́шке | да́че |
(1) Remember: After the consonants Г, К, Х, Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ write -и instead of -ы.
(2) Remember: After the consonants Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ, Ц write е instead of unstressed о.
Feminine Strong Declension: Plural
| case | ending | newspapers | apartments | cats | summer houses |
| Nom | –ы | газе́ты | кварти́ры | ко́шки (1) | да́чи (1) |
| Gen | — | газе́т | кварти́р | ко́шек (2) | да́ч |
| Dat | –ам | газе́там | кварти́рам | ко́шкам | да́чам |
| Acc (3) | –ы / — | газе́ты | кварти́ры | ко́шек (2) | да́чи (1) |
| Ins | –ами | газе́тами | кварти́рами | ко́шками | да́чами |
| Pre | –ах | газе́тах | кварти́рах | ко́шках | да́чах |
(1) Remember: After the consonants Г, К, Х, Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ write -и instead of -ы.
(2) Note that you insert a vowel in ко́шек to assist pronunciation.
(3) The accusative plural of inanimate feminine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative plural of animate feminine nouns is the same as the genitive. (Note that with feminine nouns, this animate/inanimate difference only occurs in the plural, unlike with masculine nouns.)
Feminine Weak я Declension: Singular
There are two types of weak feminine endings. Feminine nouns ending in –я follow the first weak declension.
| case | ending | week | nanny | kitchen | pot |
| Nom | –я | неде́ля | ня́ня | ку́хня | кастрю́ля |
| Gen | –и | неде́ли | ня́ни | ку́хни | кастрю́ли |
| Dat | –е | неде́ле | ня́не | ку́хне | кастрю́ле |
| Acc | –ю | неде́лю | ня́ню | ку́хню | кастрю́лю |
| Ins | –ей | неде́лей | ня́ней | ку́хней | кастрю́лей |
| Pre | –е | неде́ле | ня́не | ку́хне | кастрю́ле |
Feminine Weak я Declension: Plural
| case | ending | weeks | nannies | kitchens | pots |
| Nom | –и | неде́ли | ня́ни | ку́хни | кастрю́ли |
| Gen | –ь | неде́ль | ня́нь | ку́хонь | кастрю́ль |
| Dat | –ям | неде́лям | ня́ням | ку́хням | кастрю́лям |
| Acc (1) | –и/–ь | неде́ли | ня́нь | ку́хни | кастрю́ли |
| Ins | –ями | неде́лями | ня́нями | ку́хнями | кастрю́лями |
| Pre | –ях | неде́лях | ня́нях | ку́хнях | кастрю́лях |
(1) The accusative plural of inanimate feminine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative plural of animate feminine nouns is the same as the genitive. (Note that with feminine nouns, this animate/inanimate difference only occurs in the plural, unlike with masculine nouns.)
Feminine Weak ь Declension: Singular
The second category of feminine weak nouns end in the soft sign –ь. (Remember that there are also masculine nouns that end in –ь, so you need to memorize the gender of nouns with this ending.)
| case | ending | notebook | night | mouse | door |
| Nom | –ь | тетра́дь | но́чь | мы́шь | дверь |
| Gen | –и | тетра́ди | но́чи | мы́ши | двери |
| Dat | –и | тетра́ди | но́чи | мы́ши | двери |
| Acc | -ь | тетра́дь | но́чь | мы́шь | дверь |
| Ins | –ю | тетра́дью | но́чью | мы́шью | дверью |
| Pre | -и | тетра́ди | но́чи | мы́ши | двери |
Feminine Weak ь Declension: Plural
| case | ending | notebooks | nights | mice | doors |
| Nom | –и | тетра́ди | но́чи | мы́ши | двери |
| Gen | -ей | тетра́дей | но́чей | мыше́й | дверей |
| Dat | –ям | тетра́дям | но́чам (2) | мыша́м (2) | дверям |
| Acc (1) | –и | тетра́ди | но́чи | мыше́й | двери |
| Ins | –ями | тетра́дями | но́чами (2) | мыша́ми (2) | дверями |
| Pre | –ях | тетра́дях | но́чах (2) | мыша́х (2) | дверях |
(1) The accusative plural of inanimate feminine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative plural of animate feminine nouns is the same as the genitive. (Note that with feminine nouns, this animate/inanimate difference only occurs in the plural, unlike with masculine nouns.)
(2) Remember: After the consonants Г, К, Х, Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ, Ц write –а or –у instead of –я or –ю.
Masculine Noun Declensions
Next, let’s turn to masculine nouns. In the next section you’ll see neuter declensions, which use very similar endings. You may see masculine and neuter declensions grouped together as the second declension, but we’ll cover them separately to highlight the differences.
Masculine Strong Declension: Singular
Masculine nouns that end in consonants follow a strong declension. In both the singular and the plural, there are different endings for accusative animate nouns and accusative inanimate nouns.
| case | ending | table | house | journalist | boy |
| Nom | — | сто́л | до́м | журнали́ст | ма́льчик |
| Gen | –а | стола́ | до́ма | журнали́ста | ма́льчика |
| Dat | –у | столу́ | до́му | журнали́сту | ма́льчику |
| Acc (1) | –/-а | сто́л | до́м | журнали́ста | ма́льчика |
| Ins | –ом | столо́м | до́мом | журнали́стом | ма́льчиком |
| Pre | –е | столе́ | до́ме | журнали́сте | ма́льчике |
(1) The accusative singular of inanimate masculine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative singular of animate masculine nouns is the same as the genitive.
Masculine Strong Declension: Plural
| case | ending | tables | houses | journalists | boys |
| Nom | –ы | столы́ | дома́ (2) | журнали́сты | ма́льчики (3) |
| Gen | –ов | столо́в | домо́в | журнали́стов | ма́льчиков |
| Dat | –ам | стола́м | дома́м | журнали́стам | ма́льчикам |
| Acc (1) | –ы/-ов | столы́ | дома́ | журнали́стов | ма́льчиков |
| Ins | –ами | стола́ми | дома́ми | журнали́стами | ма́льчиками |
| Pre | –ах | стола́х | дома́х | журнали́стах | ма́льчиках |
(1) The accusative plural of inanimate masculine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative plural of animate masculine nouns is the same as the genitive.
(2) This is an irregular plural, in both the nominative and accusative.
(3) Remember: After the consonants Г, К, Х, Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ write -и instead of -ы.
Masculine Weak Declension: Singular
Nouns that end in –й follow the masculine weak declension. Some nouns that end in –ь also follow the masculine weak declension, but don’t forget that nouns ending in -ь may be either weak masculine or feminine.
| case | ending | museum | hero | teacher | dictionary |
| Nom | –й/-ь | музе́й | геро́й | у́читель | слова́рь |
| Gen | –я | музе́я | геро́я | учи́теля | словаря́ |
| Dat | –ю | музе́ю | геро́ю | учи́телю | словарю́ |
| Acc (1) | –й/-ь//-я | музе́й | геро́я | у́чителя | слова́рь |
| Ins | –ем | музе́ем | геро́ем | учи́телем | словарём |
| Pre | –е | музе́е | геро́е | учи́теле | словаре́ |
(1) The accusative singular of inanimate masculine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative singular of animate masculine nouns is the same as the genitive.
Masculine Weak Declension: Plural
| case | ending | museum | heroes | teachers | dictionaries |
| Nom | –и | музе́и | геро́и | учителя́ | словари́ |
| Gen (1) | –ев/-ей | музе́ев | геро́ев | учите́лей | словаре́й |
| Dat | –ям | музе́ям | геро́ям | учителя́м | словаря́м |
| Acc (2) | –и/-ев | музе́и | геро́ев | учителе́й | словари́ |
| Ins | –ями | музе́ями | геро́ями | учителя́ми | словаря́ми |
| Pre | –ях | музе́ях | геро́ях | учителя́х | словаря́х |
(1) Weak masculine nouns ending in –й take –ев in the genitive plural. Weak masculine nouns ending in –ь take –ей in the genitive plural.
(2) The accusative plural of inanimate masculine nouns is the same as the nominative. The accusative plural of animate masculine nouns is the same as the genitive.
Neuter Noun Declensions
Now we’ll turn to neuter nouns. Nouns ending in –о follow the strong neuter declension. The endings are similar to the masculine strong declension, but not identical.
Neuter Strong Declension: Singular
| case | ending | window | letter | soap | word |
| Nom | –о | окно́ | письмо́ | мы́ло | сло́во |
| Gen | –а | окна́ | письма́ | мы́ла | сло́ва |
| Dat | -у | окну́ | письму́ | мы́лу | сло́ву |
| Acc | –о | окно́ | письмо́ | мы́ло | сло́во |
| Ins | –ом | окно́м | письмо́м | мы́лом | сло́вом |
| Pre | -е | окне́ | письме́ | мы́ле | сло́ве |
Neuter Strong Declension: Plural
| case | ending | windows | letters | soaps | words |
| Nom | –а | о́кна | пи́сьма | мыла́ | слова́ |
| Gen | — | о́кон (1) | пи́сем (1) | мы́л | сло́в |
| Dat | –ам | о́кнам | пи́сьмам | мыла́м | слова́м |
| Acc | –а | о́кна | пи́сьма | мыла́ | слова́ |
| Ins | –ами | о́кнами | пи́сьмами | мыла́ми | слова́ми |
| Pre | –ах | о́кнах | пи́сьмах | мыла́х | слова́х |
(1) Notice that a vowel needs to be inserted before the final consonant to make these words pronounceable when you remove the ending: окно́ becomes о́кон, and письмо́ becomes пи́сем for example. Also notice that the soft sign ь disappears in пи́сем because the vowel е is inherently soft. There’s no need for ь, which would be an additional softener.
Neuter Weak Declension: Singular
Nouns that end in –е or –ие follow the neuter weak declension. The endings are essentially the same, except for the addition of и for –ие nouns.
| case | ending | sea | field | building | dormitory |
| Nom | -(и)е | мо́ре | по́ле | зда́ние | общежи́тие |
| Gen | -(и)я | мо́ря | по́ля | зда́ния | общежи́тия |
| Dat | -(и)ю | мо́рю | по́лю | зда́нию | общежи́тию |
| Acc | -(и)е | мо́ре | по́ле | зда́ние | общежи́тие |
| Ins | -(и)ем | мо́рем | по́лем | зда́нием | общежи́тием |
| Pre | -е/-ии (1) | мо́ре | по́ле | зда́нии | общежи́тии |
(1) Neuter weak nouns in –е have –е in the prepositional, while neuter weak nouns in –ие take –ии in the prepositional.
Neuter Weak Declension: Plural
| case | ending | seas | fields | buildings | dormitories |
| Nom | -(и)я | моря́ | по́ля | зда́ния | общежи́тия |
| Gen | -ей/-ий (1) | море́й | поле́й | зда́ний | общежи́тий |
| Dat | -(и)ям | моря́м | по́лям | зда́ниям | общежи́тиям |
| Acc | -(и)я | моря́ | по́ля | зда́ния | общежи́тия |
| Ins | -(и)ями | моря́ми | по́лями | зда́ниями | общежи́тиями |
| Pre | -(и)ях | моря́х | по́лях | зда́ниях | общежи́тиях |
(1) Neuter weak nouns in –е have – ей in the genitive plural, while neuter weak nouns in –ие take – ий in the genitive plural.
Irregular Russian Noun Declensions
Now let’s turn to a few common irregular nouns. Several family terms as well as дру́г (friend) have irregularities in their declension. In the cases of ма́ть (mother) and до́чь (daughter), the irregularities are in both the singular and plural. In сы́н (son), бра́т (brother), сестра́ (sister) and дру́г (friend), the irregularities are only in the plural forms.
| case | mother (f.) | daughter (f.) | son (m.) | brother (m.) | sister (f.) | friend (m.) |
| Nom | ма́ть | до́чь | сы́н | бра́т | сестра́ | дру́г |
| Gen | ма́тери | до́чери | сы́на | бра́та | сестры́ | дру́га |
| Dat | ма́тери | до́чери | сы́ну | бра́ту | сестре́ | дру́гу |
| Acc | ма́ть | до́чь | сы́на | бра́та | сестру́ | дру́га |
| Ins | ма́терью | до́черью | сы́ном | бра́том | сестро́й | дру́гом |
| Pre | ма́тери | до́чери | сы́не | бра́те | сестре́ | дру́ге |
| case | mothers (f.) | daughters (f.) | sons (m.) | brothers (m.) | sisters (f.) | friends (m.) |
| Nom | ма́тери | до́чери | сыновья́ | бра́тья | сёстры | друзья́ |
| Gen | матере́й | дочере́й | сынове́й | бра́тьев | сестёр | друзе́й |
| Dat | матеря́м | дочеря́м | сыновья́м | бра́тьям | сёстрам | друзья́м |
| Acc | матере́й | дочере́й | сынове́й | бра́тьев | сестёр | друзе́й |
| Ins | матеря́ми | дочеря́ми | сыновья́ми | бра́тьями | сёстрами | друзья́ми |
| Pre | матеря́х | дочеря́х | сыновья́х | бра́тьях | сёстрах | друзья́х |
Neuter Nouns in –мя
A handful of nouns ending in –мя are neuter and follow an irregular declension pattern.
| case | sing. | name | time | pl. | names | times |
| Nom | –мя | и́мя | вре́мя | –мена́ | имена́ | времена́ |
| Gen | –мени | и́мени | вре́мени | –мён | имён | времён |
| Dat | –мени | и́мени | вре́мени | –мена́м | имена́м | времена́м |
| Acc | –мя | и́мя | вре́мя | –мена́ | имена́ | времена́ |
| Ins | –менем | и́менем | вре́менем | –мена́ми | имена́ми | времена́ми |
| Pre | –мени | и́мени | вре́мени | –мена́х | имена́х | времена́х |
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