Prepositional Case
The Prepositional case is so called because it is always used after prepositions and answers the questions: about who?, About what?, Where?
The four prepositions that call this case are о/об/обо (about), при (on) в (in), and на (on).
Usage of prepositional case:
to indicate the location of something or someone we use prepositions -в (in) or -на (on).
Example:
Шарф в сумке – the scarf is in the bag
телефон на столе – the telephone is on the table
он пошел в школу – he went to school
она живет в Москве – she lives in Moscow.
To indicate a person or an object being talked or thought about and used after prepositions -о (about).
Example:
она думала о маме – she was thinking about her mom
мы говорили о погоде – we were talking about the weather.
To indicate time, it is used with name of the months.
Example:
она вышла замуж в апреле – she’s got married in April.
How to form prepositional case.
Masculine nouns:
1. Nouns ending with a consonant add the ending -e.
Example:
стол – на столе, парк – в парке.
A few masculine (mainly one-syllable) nouns have special stressed endings -у/я after prepositions -в ‘in’ and -на ‘on’.
Example:
сад – в саду, лес – в лесу.
2. Nouns ending in – ь and – й, except nouns ending in -ий change their final letters to -е.
Example:
музей о музее – about the museum
писатель о писателе – about the writer.
3. Nouns ending in – ий change their final letter to – и.
Example: улий – об улии / about the beehive.
Feminine nouns:
1. Nouns ending in – а change their ending to – е.
Example:
лампа о лампе – about the lamp.
2. Nouns ending in – я, except nouns ending in – ия, change – я and – ь to – е.
Example:
земля о земле – about the ground
неделя о неделе – about the week.
3. Nouns ending in – ия, change – я, to – и.
Example:
станция – станции – station.
4. Nouns ending in -ь change to -и.
Example:
ночь ночи – night
печь печи – oven.
Neuter nouns:
1. Nouns ending in – ие, change the final – е to -и.
Example:
здание здании – building
2. Nouns ending in – о change their ending to -е.
Example:
окно окне – window
3. Nouns ending in -е except nouns ending in – ие, have the ending -е.
Example:
поле поле – field.
4. Nouns ending in -мя change -я to – ени.
Example:
время времени – time.
Plural form:
Masculine nouns
1. Nouns ending in a consonant add the ending -ах.
Example:
диван / диванах – sofa / sofas
2. Nouns ending in – ь and – й change their final letters to – ях.
Example:
край / краях – the edge / edges.
Feminine nouns
1. Nouns ending in – а change their ending to – ах.
Example:
ложка / ложках – spoon / spoons
Куртка / куртках – jacket / jackets
2. Nouns ending in -я and in – ь change -я and – ь to -ях.
Example:
станция / станциях – station / stations
Дверь / дверях – door / doors
Neuter nouns.
1. Nouns ending in -о change their ending to – ах.
Example:
окно / окнах – window / windows
Очко / очках – point / points.
2. Nouns ending in -e change their ending to -ях.
Example:
Море / морях – sea / seas.
3. Nouns ending in -мя change – я to -енах.
Example:
время / временах – time / times.
