50 Sentences
Convoy Prep
A commander briefs his junior officers before a multi-day convoy run to the front lines near a mountain town (trucks, troops, and supplies), with the officers checking details as he goes. Every word colored and explained: cases for nouns, modifiers, pronouns, and numerals, plus conjugation for verbs and agreement for short-form adjectives, each tagged with its dictionary form and English gloss.
NOMSubject. Dictionary form.
ACCDirect object. Motion toward with в / на.
GENAfter до от из у без для о́коло напро́тив вдоль с. Also: нет, numbers.
DATAfter к, по. Also: ну́жен, звони́ть, помо́чь.
INSTRMeans / с (with). Static position with над за под пе́ред.
PREPOnly with prepositions. в / на = location. о = topic.
VERBConjugated by person/number/tense. Case-colored pronouns show which person.
SHORTShort-form adjective or participle predicate. Agrees in gender/number, not case.
Forming up
Head counts and gate checks before the column rolls. Round numbers behave like пять and up, pulling the genitive plural (грузовико́в, маши́н), and у for location keeps demanding genitive too, even on воро́та, a noun that only ever exists in the plural.
Постро́йте коло́нну у гла́вных воро́т.
Form up the column at the main gate.
постро́ить · pf. · "to form up" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, perfective. постро́ить becomes постро́йте.
коло́нна · fem. · "column" Direct object of "form up."
гла́вный · adj. · "main" Modifies воро́т, agrees with it in genitive plural.
воро́та · pl. only · "gate" у (at/by) takes genitive. воро́та exists only in the plural; its genitive plural is the zero-ending воро́т.
У нас два́дцать грузовико́в в коло́нне.
We have twenty trucks in the convoy.
мы · pers. · "us" Possessor after у (at/by), genitive of мы.
два́дцать · num. · "twenty" Head of the possession phrase (like дво́е in "у нас дво́е ра́неных"), triggers genitive plural on the noun it counts.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" Numbers five and up (and round tens like два́дцать) take genitive plural. грузови́к becomes грузовико́в.
коло́нна · fem. · "column" Location after в, prepositional.
Ско́лько маши́н в резе́рве?
How many vehicles are in reserve?
маши́на · fem. · "vehicle" ско́лько (how many) takes genitive plural.
резе́рв · masc. · "reserve" Location after в, prepositional.
Веди́ пе́рвый грузови́к, сержа́нт.
Lead the first truck, sergeant.
вести́ · impf. · "to lead" 2nd person singular imperative. вести́ becomes веди́.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" Direct object of "lead." Inanimate, unchanged from the dictionary form.
Второ́й и тре́тий грузовики́ повезу́т припа́сы.
The second and third trucks will carry supplies.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" Subject, plural.
повезти́ · pf. · "to carry (by vehicle)" 3rd person plural future, perfective. повезти́ becomes повезу́т.
припа́с · masc. · "supply" Direct object, plural. Inanimate, so accusative matches nominative.
А где у нас четвёртый и пя́тый?
And where are our fourth and fifth?
мы · pers. · "us" Possessor after у (at/by), genitive of мы.
Пусть меха́ники осмо́трят ка́ждую маши́ну.
Have the mechanics inspect every vehicle.
меха́ник · masc. · "mechanic" Subject, plural.
осмотре́ть · pf. · "to inspect" 3rd person plural future, perfective, part of a jussive construction with пусть ("have them..."). осмотре́ть becomes осмо́трят.
ка́ждый · det. · "each" Modifies маши́ну, agrees with it in accusative feminine.
маши́на · fem. · "vehicle" Direct object of "inspect."
Мы гото́вы к вы́ходу че́рез час.
We'll be ready to move out in an hour.
мы · pers. · "we" Subject pronoun, nominative.
гото́вый · adj. · "ready" Short-form adjective, plural to agree with Мы.
вы́ход · masc. · "departure" к (toward/for) takes dative. вы́ход becomes вы́ходу.
час · masc. · "hour" че́рез (in/after) takes accusative for time spans. Inanimate, unchanged.
Тра́нспортная гру́ппа уже́ на ме́сте?
Is the transport group already in position?
ме́сто · neut. · "place" на ме́сте (in position/on the spot) is a fixed prepositional phrase.
Loading up
Loading runs on the accusative for whatever goes in the truck and the instrumental after с for whatever it travels with. свой does its usual trick of agreeing with whichever noun it's attached to, not with the subject's own gender.
Начина́йте погру́зку люде́й.
Begin loading the personnel.
начина́ть · impf. · "to begin" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. начина́ть becomes начина́йте.
погру́зка · fem. · "loading" Direct object of "begin."
лю́ди · pl. · "people" Loading OF people, a deverbal noun's object goes genitive. Irregular plural лю́ди becomes люде́й.
Грузи́те я́щики с боеприпа́сами в пе́рвый грузови́к.
Load the ammunition crates into the first truck.
грузи́ть · impf. · "to load" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. грузи́ть becomes Грузи́те.
я́щик · masc. · "crate" Direct object, plural. Inanimate, unchanged.
боеприпа́сами
INSTRUMENTAL
боеприпа́сы · pl. · "ammunition" с (with) takes instrumental. боеприпа́сы becomes боеприпа́сами.
пе́рвый · num. · "first" Modifies грузови́к, agrees with it directly in accusative masculine. Ordinal numerals decline like adjectives.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" в for motion into takes accusative. Inanimate, unchanged.
Ско́лько солда́т помеща́ется в оди́н грузови́к?
How many soldiers fit in one truck?
солда́т · masc. · "soldier" ско́лько takes genitive plural. солда́т is one of a small set of masculine nouns with a zero-ending genitive plural, identical to the nominative singular.
оди́н · num. · "one" Modifies грузови́к, agrees with it in accusative masculine. Inanimate, unchanged.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" в for motion into takes accusative.
Ка́ждый взвод грузи́тся в свой грузови́к.
Each platoon loads into its own truck.
ка́ждый · det. · "each" Modifies взвод, agrees with it in nominative masculine.
взвод · masc. · "platoon" Subject.
грузи́ться · impf. · "to load" 3rd person singular present, reflexive (-ся). грузи́ться becomes грузи́тся.
свой · poss. · "one's own" Modifies грузови́к, agrees with it in accusative masculine, the reflexive possessive, since the truck belongs to the subject (each platoon), not to the speaker.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" в for motion into takes accusative.
Проверя́йте ка́ждый я́щик пе́ред погру́зкой.
Check every crate before loading.
проверя́ть · impf. · "to check" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. проверя́ть becomes Проверя́йте.
я́щик · masc. · "crate" Direct object of "check."
погру́зка · fem. · "loading" пе́ред (before, temporal) takes instrumental. погру́зка becomes погру́зкой.
Хва́тит ли то́плива на всю доро́гу?
Will there be enough fuel for the whole trip?
хвати́ть · pf. · "to be enough" 3rd person singular future/impersonal. хвати́ть becomes Хва́тит.
то́пливо · neut. · "fuel" хвата́ть/хвати́ть (to suffice) takes genitive for the thing that needs to be enough.
весь · det. · "all" Modifies доро́гу, agrees with it in accusative feminine.
доро́га · fem. · "road" на for extent/duration takes accusative here.
Погрузи́те бо́чки с то́пливом в после́дний грузови́к.
Load the fuel barrels into the last truck.
погрузи́ть · pf. · "to load" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, perfective. погрузи́ть becomes Погрузи́те.
бо́чка · fem. · "barrel" Direct object, plural. Inanimate, unchanged from the nominative plural.
то́пливо · neut. · "fuel" с (with) takes instrumental.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" в for motion into takes accusative.
Всё гото́во, докла́дывайте команди́ру.
Everything's ready, report to the commander.
гото́вый · adj. · "ready" Short-form adjective, neuter to agree with Всё.
докла́дывать · impf. · "to report" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. докла́дывать becomes докла́дывайте.
команди́р · masc. · "commander" докла́дывать (to report to someone) takes dative for the person informed.
Кому́ докла́дывать о заде́ржке?
Who do we report a delay to?
кто · pron. · "who" докла́дывать takes dative for the person informed. кто becomes кому́.
заде́ржка · fem. · "delay" о (about) takes prepositional.
The route
The drive itself is a tour of every case at once: к and до pull dative and genitive toward the destination, по spreads dative across the roads themselves, and a genitive-genitive chain like подно́жия горы́ (the foot OF the mountain) shows two nouns stacking without either one modifying the other.
Мы е́дем к го́рному городку́ на фро́нте.
We're driving to the mountain town at the front.
мы · pers. · "we" Subject pronoun, nominative.
е́хать · impf. · "to go (by vehicle)" 1st person plural present. е́хать becomes е́дем.
го́рный · adj. · "mountain" Modifies городку́, agrees with it in dative masculine.
городо́к · masc. · "town" к (toward) takes dative. The fleeting vowel drops: городо́к becomes городку́.
фронт · masc. · "front" Location after на, фронт conventionally takes на, not в. фронт becomes фро́нте.
Доро́га идёт че́рез не́сколько дереве́нь.
The road runs through several villages.
доро́га · fem. · "road" Subject.
идти́ · impf. · "to run (of a road)" 3rd person singular present. идти́ becomes идёт.
дере́вня · fem. · "village" не́сколько (several) always takes genitive plural, regardless of what case the surrounding phrase is in. дере́вня becomes дереве́нь.
Ско́лько дней займёт доро́га до го́рода?
How many days will the trip to the town take?
день · masc. · "day" ско́лько takes genitive plural. Irregular: день becomes дней.
заня́ть · pf. · "to take (time)" 3rd person singular future, perfective. заня́ть becomes займёт.
доро́га · fem. · "road" Subject of займёт.
го́род · masc. · "city" до (up to/as far as) takes genitive.
Мы бу́дем е́хать три дня по го́рным доро́гам.
We'll be driving for three days along mountain roads.
мы · pers. · "we" Subject pronoun, nominative.
быть / е́хать · impf. · "will go" Future auxiliary бу́дем (1st plural) plus the imperfective infinitive е́хать, the periphrastic imperfective future.
три · num. · "three" Modifies дня as a time expression; triggers genitive singular on the noun it counts.
день · masc. · "day" Numbers two, three, four take genitive singular. день becomes дня.
го́рный · adj. · "mountain" Modifies доро́гам, agrees with it in dative plural.
доро́га · fem. · "road" по for movement along a surface takes dative.
Пе́рвая остано́вка бу́дет у моста́.
The first stop will be at the bridge.
пе́рвый · num. · "first" Modifies остано́вка, agrees with it in nominative feminine. Ordinal numerals decline like adjectives.
остано́вка · fem. · "stop" Subject of бу́дет.
быть · impf. · "to be" 3rd person singular future. быть becomes бу́дет.
мост · masc. · "bridge" у (at/by) takes genitive. мост becomes моста́.
А что е́сли доро́гу размы́ло дождём?
What if the road gets washed out by rain?
доро́га · fem. · "road" Direct object of the impersonal verb размы́ло (there is no grammatical subject here, only an object and a cause).
размы́ть · pf. · "to wash out" 3rd person singular past, neuter, impersonal (no grammatical subject). размы́ть becomes размы́ло.
дождь · masc. · "rain" The instrumental of a natural force causing the action, with no preposition, the classic Russian impersonal construction.
В тако́м слу́чае свя́жемся со шта́бом по ра́ции.
In that case we'll contact HQ by radio.
тако́й · dem. · "such" Modifies слу́чае, agrees with it in prepositional masculine.
слу́чай · masc. · "case" Location/circumstance after в, prepositional.
связа́ться · pf. · "to contact" 1st person plural future, reflexive (-ся), perfective. связа́ться becomes свя́жемся.
штаб · masc. · "headquarters" связа́ться с (to get in contact with) takes instrumental after с.
ра́ция · fem. · "radio" по (by means of) takes dative for the means of communication.
Не отстава́йте от гла́вной коло́нны.
Don't fall behind the main column.
отстава́ть · impf. · "to fall behind" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, negated with не. отстава́ть becomes отстава́йте.
гла́вный · adj. · "main" Modifies коло́нны, agrees with it in genitive feminine.
коло́нна · fem. · "convoy" от (away from) takes genitive.
Городо́к нахо́дится у подно́жия горы́.
The town is at the foot of the mountain.
городо́к · masc. · "town" Subject.
находи́ться · impf. · "to be located" 3rd person singular present, reflexive (-ся). находи́ться becomes нахо́дится.
подно́жие · neut. · "foot" у (at) takes genitive.
гора́ · fem. · "mountain" Possession: the foot OF the mountain. Two genitive nouns stacked together, not a modifier and its head.
Convoy discipline
Radio discipline leans on genitive after every flavor of "without" and "away from": от, без, при all want it. любо́й and ка́ждый keep declining right along with whatever noun they're attached to, this time landing in the accusative, prepositional, and instrumental in turn.
Держи́те диста́нцию ме́жду маши́нами.
Keep distance between the vehicles.
держа́ть · impf. · "to keep" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. держа́ть becomes Держи́те.
диста́нция · fem. · "distance" Direct object of "keep."
маши́на · fem. · "vehicle" ме́жду (between) takes instrumental.
Проверя́йте связь ка́ждый час.
Check radio contact every hour.
проверя́ть · impf. · "to check" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. проверя́ть becomes Проверя́йте.
связь · fem. · "communication" Direct object of "check." Soft-stem -ь noun, accusative matches the nominative.
ка́ждый · det. · "each" Modifies час, agrees with it in accusative masculine, recurring time expressions like "every hour" take the accusative with no preposition.
час · masc. · "hour" Accusative of recurring time span. Inanimate, unchanged.
Как ча́сто выхо́дим на связь со шта́бом?
How often do we check in with HQ?
выходи́ть · impf. · "to check in" 1st person plural present. выходи́ть becomes выхо́дим.
связь · fem. · "communication" "выходи́ть на связь" (to check in/get on the radio) is a fixed idiom, на plus accusative.
штаб · masc. · "headquarters" с (with) takes instrumental.
Не отклоня́йтесь от маршру́та без прика́за.
Don't deviate from the route without an order.
отклоня́ться · impf. · "to deviate" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, negated with не, reflexive (-ся). отклоня́ться becomes отклоня́йтесь.
маршру́т · masc. · "route" от (away from) takes genitive.
прика́з · masc. · "order" без (without) takes genitive.
Веди́те учёт вре́мени в ка́ждом пу́нкте.
Keep track of time at each checkpoint.
вести́ · impf. · "to keep (track)" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. вести́ becomes Веди́те.
вре́мя · neut. · "time" Tracking OF time, two nouns stacked, not a modifier and its head. Irregular: вре́мя becomes вре́мени.
ка́ждый · det. · "each" Modifies пу́нкте, agrees with it in prepositional masculine.
пункт · masc. · "point" Location after в, prepositional.
Что де́лать при поте́ре свя́зи с гру́ппой?
What do we do if we lose contact with the group?
де́лать · impf. · "to do" Infinitive in an impersonal "what is to be done" construction.
поте́ря · fem. · "loss" при (in the event of) takes prepositional.
связь · fem. · "communication" Loss OF contact, two nouns stacked, not a modifier and its head.
гру́ппа · fem. · "group" с (with) takes instrumental.
Сообща́йте мне о любо́й пробле́ме.
Report any problem to me.
сообща́ть · impf. · "to report" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. сообща́ть becomes Сообща́йте.
я · pers. · "me" Recipient, dative of я.
любо́й · det. · "any" Modifies пробле́ме, agrees with it in prepositional feminine.
пробле́ма · fem. · "problem" о (about) takes prepositional.
Не остана́вливайтесь без кома́нды.
Don't stop without a command.
остана́вливаться · impf. · "to stop" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, negated with не, reflexive (-ся). остана́вливаться becomes остана́вливайтесь.
кома́нда · fem. · "command" без (without) takes genitive.
А что, е́сли нас остано́вит патру́ль?
What if a patrol stops us?
мы · pers. · "us" Direct object of остано́вит, accusative of мы.
останови́ть · pf. · "to stop" 3rd person singular future, perfective. останови́ть becomes остано́вит.
патру́ль · masc. · "patrol" Subject, the thing doing the stopping.
Contingencies
Contingencies bring back the ну́жен reversal from the other Sentences pages. по́мощь is the grammatical subject, not the thing you'd expect. Ра́неный (wounded) is technically an adjective wearing a noun's hat, so it declines like one even while acting as a person.
Е́сли грузови́к слома́ется, съезжа́йте на обо́чину.
If a truck breaks down, pull onto the shoulder.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" Subject of "breaks down."
слома́ться · pf. · "to break down" 3rd person singular future, reflexive (-ся). слома́ться becomes слома́ется.
съезжа́ть · impf. · "to pull off" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. съезжа́ть becomes съезжа́йте.
обо́чина · fem. · "roadside" на for motion onto takes accusative.
Кто бу́дет чини́ть маши́ну на ме́сте?
Who will fix the vehicle on the spot?
кто · pron. · "who" Interrogative pronoun, subject, nominative.
быть / чини́ть · impf. · "will fix" Future auxiliary бу́дет (3rd singular) plus the imperfective infinitive чини́ть, the periphrastic imperfective future.
маши́на · fem. · "vehicle" Direct object of "fix."
ме́сто · neut. · "place" на ме́сте (on the spot/right there) is a fixed prepositional phrase.
Оста́вьте охра́ну ря́дом со сло́манной маши́ной.
Leave a guard next to the broken vehicle.
оста́вить · pf. · "to leave" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, perfective. оста́вить becomes Оста́вьте.
охра́на · fem. · "guard" Direct object of "leave."
сло́манный · ppl. · "broken" A past passive participle used as an adjective ("broken"), agreeing with маши́ной in instrumental feminine.
маши́на · fem. · "vehicle" ря́дом с (next to) takes instrumental.
В слу́чае заса́ды рассредото́чьтесь по обо́чинам.
In case of an ambush, spread out along the shoulders.
слу́чай · masc. · "case" Circumstance after в, prepositional.
рассредото́читься · pf. · "to spread out" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, reflexive (-ся). рассредото́читься becomes рассредото́чьтесь.
заса́да · fem. · "ambush" Case OF an ambush, two nouns stacked, not a modifier and its head.
обо́чина · fem. · "roadside" по (along) takes dative, plural here.
Е́сли нужна́ по́мощь, где ближа́йший блокпо́ст?
If we need help, where's the nearest checkpoint?
ну́жный · adj. · "needed" Short-form adjective, feminine to agree with по́мощь.
по́мощь · fem. · "help" The reversal from ну́жен/нужна́: the thing needed is the grammatical subject, not the person who needs it. нужна́ agrees with по́мощь as feminine.
блокпо́ст · masc. · "checkpoint" Subject of the second clause.
Не панику́йте при появле́нии проти́вника.
Don't panic if the enemy appears.
паникова́ть · impf. · "to panic" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, negated with не. паникова́ть becomes панику́йте.
появле́ние · neut. · "appearance" при (upon/in the event of) takes prepositional.
проти́вник · masc. · "enemy" Appearance OF the enemy, two nouns stacked, not a modifier and its head.
Ра́неных грузи́те в после́дний грузови́к.
Load the wounded into the last truck.
ра́неный · adj. · "wounded" Direct object, "the wounded" as a person. ра́неный is technically an adjective used as a noun, so as an animate plural its accusative copies the genitive.
грузи́ть · impf. · "to load" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. грузи́ть becomes грузи́те.
грузови́к · masc. · "truck" в for motion into takes accusative.
Ско́лько ра́неных мы мо́жем взять?
How many wounded can we take?
ра́неный · adj. · "wounded" ско́лько takes genitive plural. Same surface form as the accusative in the line above, for an animate plural, accusative and genitive always coincide.
мы · pers. · "we" Subject pronoun, nominative.
мочь / взять · impf. · "can take" мо́жем (1st plural present of мочь, "can") plus the perfective infinitive взять ("to take").
Departure
Last checks close out the paradigm work from the whole file. ка́ждый and весь both show up one final time, not modifying anything, just standing on their own as "each one" and "everyone," still fully declined.
Проверя́йте ору́жие пе́ред вы́ездом.
Check your weapons before departure.
проверя́ть · impf. · "to check" 2nd person plural/formal imperative. проверя́ть becomes Проверя́йте.
ору́жие · neut. · "weapon" Direct object of "check." Neuter, unchanged.
вы́езд · masc. · "departure" пе́ред (before, temporal) takes instrumental.
Разда́йте ка́рту маршру́та ка́ждому команди́ру взво́да.
Hand out the route map to each platoon commander.
разда́ть · pf. · "to hand out" 2nd person plural/formal imperative, perfective. разда́ть becomes Разда́йте.
ка́рта · fem. · "map" Direct object of "hand out."
маршру́т · masc. · "route" Map OF the route, two nouns stacked, not a modifier and its head.
ка́ждый · det. · "each" Modifies команди́ру, agrees with it in dative masculine.
команди́р · masc. · "commander" Recipient of "hand out," dative.
взвод · masc. · "platoon" Commander OF the platoon, two nouns stacked, not a modifier and its head.
Когда́ мы вы́едем с ба́зы?
When will we leave the base?
мы · pers. · "we" Subject pronoun, nominative.
вы́ехать · pf. · "to leave" 1st person plural future, perfective. вы́ехать becomes вы́едем.
ба́за · fem. · "base" с (away from) takes genitive.
Мы выезжа́ем ро́вно в шесть часо́в утра́.
We depart at exactly six in the morning.
мы · pers. · "we" Subject pronoun, nominative.
выезжа́ть · impf. · "to depart" 1st person plural present. выезжа́ть becomes выезжа́ем.
шесть · num. · "six" Modifies часо́в as a time expression; triggers genitive plural on the noun it counts.
час · masc. · "hour" Numbers five and up take genitive plural. шесть часо́в, "six o'clock."
у́тро · neut. · "morning" Fixed genitive in time-of-day expressions: "часо́в утра́" is how Russian says "a.m."
Жела́ю уда́чи ка́ждому из вас.
I wish luck to each of you.
жела́ть · impf. · "to wish" 1st person singular present. жела́ть becomes Жела́ю.
уда́ча · fem. · "luck" жела́ть (to wish) takes genitive for the thing wished.
ка́ждый · det. · "each" Standing on its own here as "each one" (not modifying a noun), recipient of жела́ю, dative.
вы · pers. · "you" из (out of/among) takes genitive.
Вперёд, к фро́нту! Уда́чи всем.
Forward, to the front! Good luck to everyone.
фронт · masc. · "front" к (toward) takes dative.
весь · det. · "all" Standing on its own here as "everyone" (not modifying a noun), dative plural, recipient of the wish, echoing ка́ждому above.