Core Grammar / Cases & Declension

Падежи́

The whole of Russian noun case in one place. Paradigms is every standard declension pattern, endings in green and a governing preposition on every oblique cell. Usage is what each case is actually for, with worked examples. Patterns is the stress and spelling machinery behind the endings. Every form and example is playable.

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NominativeThe subject. Dictionary form. Never takes a preposition.

AccusativeDirect object. Also в or на for a destination.

GenitiveOf, possession. After нет, без, у, до, от, из. Quantities.

DativeTo or for a recipient. After к, по. Also мне ну́жно.

InstrumentalBy or with. After с, над, под, за, пе́ред.

PrepositionalAfter в, на (location), о, об (about). Never alone.

Masculine

Animate nouns take Accusative = Genitive. Inanimate take Accusative = Nominative.

Hard consonant, animate

example: солда́т (soldier)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	солда́т	солда́ты
Acc	солда́та	солда́т
Gen	безсолда́та	безсолда́т
Dat	ксолда́ту	ксолда́там
Ins	ссолда́том	ссолда́тами
Pre	осолда́те	осолда́тах

Its Accusative cells carry no preposition, and that is the point: an animate direct object takes none, and this is the one table on the page where you can see Accusative copying the Genitive in the singular (солда́та) and the plural (солда́т).

Hard consonant

example: вертолёт (helicopter)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	вертолёт	вертолёты
Acc	навертолёт	навертолёты
Gen	довертолёта	довертолётов
Dat	квертолёту	квертолётам
Ins	надвертолётом	надвертолётами
Pre	овертолёте	овертолётах

Soft, ending in ь

example: слова́рь (dictionary)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	слова́рь	словари́
Acc	вслова́рь	всловари́
Gen	безсловаря́	безсловаре́й
Dat	пословарю́	пословаря́м
Ins	сословарём	сословаря́ми
Pre	ословаре́	ословаря́х

Ending in й

example: музе́й (museum)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	музе́й	музе́и
Acc	вмузе́й	вмузе́и
Gen	измузе́я	измузе́ев
Dat	кмузе́ю	кмузе́ям
Ins	замузе́ем	замузе́ями
Pre	вмузе́е	вмузе́ях

Feminine

Instrumental singular has an older variant in ою or ею. The ой and ей forms are standard.

Hard, ending in а

example: ка́рта (map)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	ка́рта	ка́рты
Acc	нака́рту	нака́рты
Gen	ука́рты	укарт (bare)
Dat	пока́рте	пока́ртам
Ins	подка́ртой	подка́ртами
Pre	нака́рте	нака́ртах

Soft, ending in я

example: неде́ля (week)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	неде́ля	неде́ли
Acc	че́резнеде́лю	че́резнеде́ли
Gen	о́колонеде́ли	о́колонеде́ль
Dat	кнеде́ле	кнеде́лям
Ins	пе́реднеде́лей	пе́реднеде́лями
Pre	онеде́ле	онеде́лях

Ending in ия

example: а́рмия (army)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	а́рмия	а́рмии
Acc	ва́рмию	ва́рмии
Gen	иза́рмии	иза́рмий
Dat	ка́рмии	ка́рмиям
Ins	са́рмией	са́рмиями
Pre	оба́рмии	оба́рмиях

Ending in ь (third declension)

example: дверь (door)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	дверь	две́ри
Acc	вдверь	вдве́ри
Gen	удве́ри	удвере́й
Dat	кдве́ри	кдверя́м
Ins	задве́рью	задверя́ми
Pre	надве́ри	надверя́х

Neuter

Neuter Accusative always equals Nominative, singular and plural.

Hard, ending in о

example: ме́сто (place)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	ме́сто	места́
Acc	наме́сто	наместа́
Gen	сме́ста	смест (bare)
Dat	кме́сту	кместа́м
Ins	надме́стом	надместа́ми
Pre	наме́сте	наместа́х

Soft, ending in е

example: мо́ре (sea)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	мо́ре	моря́
Acc	вмо́ре	вморя́
Gen	умо́ря	уморе́й
Dat	кмо́рю	кморя́м
Ins	замо́рем	заморя́ми
Pre	намо́ре	наморя́х

Ending in ие

example: зда́ние (building)

	Singular	Plural
Nom	зда́ние	зда́ния
Acc	взда́ние	взда́ния
Gen	иззда́ния	иззда́ний
Dat	кзда́нию	кзда́ниям
Ins	зазда́нием	зазда́ниями
Pre	взда́нии	взда́ниях

Ending in мя (irregular)

example: и́мя (name). Closed group.

	Singular	Plural
Nom	и́мя	имена́
Acc	наи́мя	наимена́
Gen	бези́мени	безимён
Dat	пои́мени	поимена́м
Ins	поди́менем	подимена́ми
Pre	оби́мени	обимена́х

Nominative Имени́тельный паде́ж Кто? Что?. Who? What?

Core Uses

Subject of the sentence, the one doing the action
Predicate noun after быть (to be), "He is a soldier"
Dictionary form, what you look up

Memory Hook

This is the base form. No ending changes from the dictionary. If you can't remember a case, nominative is your fallback, it won't always be right but it won't confuse a native speaker completely.

Think of it as the noun standing up straight, announcing itself: "I am the subject."

Common Endings

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	, (consonant) / -й / -ь	-ы / -и
Feminine	-а / -я / -ь	-ы / -и
Neuter	-о / -е	-а / -я

Military Examples

Солда́т бежи́т. The soldier is running. солда́т = subject

Вертолёт лети́т на се́вер. The helicopter is flying north. вертолёт = subject

Команди́р здесь. The commander is here. predicate position, no verb needed

Враг в дере́вне. The enemy is in the village. враг = subject

Accusative Вини́тельный паде́ж Кого́? Что?. Whom? What?

Core Uses

Direct object, receives the action of the verb
Direction / destination with в and на
Duration of time ("for three hours")

Memory Hook

Inanimate nouns: look identical to Nominative for masculine and neuter. Only feminine changes (-а → -у, -я → -ю).

Animate nouns (people, animals): masculine changes to match Genitive (-а / -я). Think "alive = care more about it = different ending."

Rule of thumb: if you can replace the noun with "him/her/it" in English, it's accusative.

Common Endings

Gender	Inanimate Sg.	Animate Sg.	Inanimate Pl.	Animate Pl.
Masculine	= Nominative	-а / -я (= Gen.)	= Nom. Plural	= Gen. Plural
Feminine	-у / -ю	-у / -ю	= Nom. Plural	= Gen. Plural
Neuter	= Nominative	= Nominative	= Nom. Plural	= Gen. Plural

Military Examples

Я ви́жу врага́. I see the enemy. враг (animate masc.) → врага́ in accusative

Возьми́ ору́жие. Take the weapon. ору́жие (inanimate neuter) = nominative form

Е́дем на ба́зу. We're driving to base. в + accusative = destination/direction

Вызыва́ю команди́ра. I'm calling the commander. команди́р (animate masc.) → команди́ра

Я ви́жу маши́ну. I see the vehicle. маши́на (inanimate fem.) → маши́ну

Иди́ на пози́цию. Move to the position. на + accusative = direction toward

Genitive Роди́тельный паде́ж Кого́? Чего́?. Of whom? Of what?

Core Uses

Possession / "of", "the commander's rifle" / "rifle of the commander"
Absence with нет, "there is no…"
After numbers 2–4 (singular gen.) and 5+ (plural gen.)
After quantity words: мно́го, ма́ло, не́сколько
After prepositions: у, из, от, без, до, по́сле, для, о́коло
Negation, making a verb negative often triggers genitive

Memory Hook

Genitive is the most common non-nominative case, learn it first and you'll unlock a huge amount of Russian.

The "of" trick: mentally insert "of" between two nouns. "Автома́т of the soldier" → солда́та in genitive.

Нет + genitive = absence. "У меня́ нет патро́нов". I have no ammunition. The thing that doesn't exist goes genitive.

Common Endings

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	-а / -я	-ов / -ев / -ей /.
Feminine	-ы / -и	, / -ей
Neuter	-а / -я	, / -ей

Military Examples

У меня́ нет патро́нов. I have no ammunition. нет + genitive plural

Автома́т солда́та. The soldier's rifle. possession: солда́т → солда́та

Мы е́дем из го́рода. We're driving out of the city. из + genitive = movement out of

Без свя́зи опа́сно. Without comms it's dangerous. без + genitive = without

По́сле бо́я отдыха́ем. We rest after the battle. по́сле + genitive = after

Два солда́та, пять солда́т. Two soldiers, five soldiers. 2-4 → genitive singular; 5+ → genitive plural

Dative Да́тельный паде́ж Кому́? Чему́?. To whom? For what?

Core Uses

Indirect object, the recipient of an action
With к (toward a person or place)
Experiencer constructions, "мне хо́лодно" (I am cold)
Age, "мне два́дцать лет" (I am twenty)
With по (along, according to, by)

Memory Hook

Dative is the "to/for" case. Any time you're giving, sending, saying, showing, or reporting something TO someone, that someone is dative.

Also remember: к + dative = moving toward a person. "Иду́ к команди́ру", going to (toward) the commander. Contrast with в/на + accusative which are destinations (places).

Common Endings

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	-у / -ю	-ам / -ям
Feminine	-е / -и	-ам / -ям
Neuter	-у / -ю	-ам / -ям

Military Examples

Дай мне автома́т. Give me the rifle. мне = me (dative of я)

Иди́ к команди́ру. Go to the commander. к + dative: toward a person

Доложи́ команди́ру. Report to the commander. indirect object of reporting

Мне нужна́ по́мощь. I need help. мне = dative "to me [it is needed]"

Отпра́вь ка́рту гру́ппе. Send the map to the group. гру́ппе = dative, recipient

Солда́там нужны́ припа́сы. The soldiers need supplies. солда́там = dative plural

Instrumental Твори́тельный паде́ж Кем? Чем?. By whom? By what means?

Core Uses

The tool or means used to do something
Together with / accompanied by, with с
Profession or role after быть, "он был команди́ром"
After prepositions: над, под, пе́ред, за, ме́жду
Mode of travel, "е́дем маши́ной" (traveling by car)

Memory Hook

Think "instrument", what you're using. Стреля́ю автома́том, shooting with/by means of a rifle. The ending -ом / -ей / -ью is very recognizable once you see it a few times.

С + instrumental = together with. "С команди́ром" = with the commander. Don't confuse with из (out of, genitive), с means companionship or joint action.

Common Endings

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	-ом / -ем	-ами / -ями
Feminine	-ой / -ей / -ью	-ами / -ями
Neuter	-ом / -ем	-ами / -ями

Military Examples

Стреля́ю пулемётом. I'm firing with the machine gun. пулемёт → пулемётом (instrument)

Е́дем с команди́ром. We're driving with the commander. с + instrumental = together with

Прикрыва́ю гру́ппу за до́мом. I'm covering the group behind the house. за + instrumental = behind

Вертолёт над на́ми. The helicopter is above us. над + instrumental = above

Он был сна́йпером. He was a sniper. role/profession after быть → instrumental

Ме́жду пози́циями ти́хо. It's quiet between the positions. ме́жду + instrumental = between

Prepositional Предло́жный паде́ж О ком? О чём? Где?. About whom? Where?

Core Uses

Location with в and на, "in/at/on" (static position)
Talking about something with о/об
After при (during, in the presence of)
Always used with a preposition, never standalone

Memory Hook

The key contrast: в/на + accusative = motion toward. в/на + prepositional = static location.

"Е́дем в дере́вню" (we're going TO the village, accusative direction) vs "Мы в дере́вне" (we ARE in the village, prepositional location). Same preposition, totally different meaning based on case.

Endings are some of the most consistent in Russian: mostly -е for singular across all genders.

Common Endings

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	-е / -и	-ах / -ях
Feminine	-е / -и	-ах / -ях
Neuter	-е / -и	-ах / -ях

Military Examples

Мы в дере́вне. We're in the village. в + prepositional = static location

Враг на холме́. The enemy is on the hill. на + prepositional = on/at (location)

Говори́м о враге́. We're talking about the enemy. о + prepositional = about

Сна́йпер на кры́ше. Sniper on the roof. на + prepositional: кры́ша → кры́ше

Те́хника в лесу́. The vehicles are in the forest. в + prepositional: лес → лесу́ (irregular)

При ата́ке держи́ пози́цию. During the attack, hold position. при + prepositional = during/in the event of

Stress can move between the stem and the ending. Three common patterns, seen in гора́ (mountain), стол (table), and окно́ (window): гора́ stresses the ending in every singular case except the accusative (го́ру), then flips to stressing the stem in the plural oblique cases. стол is end-stressed throughout every oblique form, singular and plural (столо́в, стола́ми). окно́ flips cleanly by number: the singular stresses the ending, the plural stresses the stem (о́кна, о́кнам). Dictionaries mark stress for study; everyday writing drops the marks entirely.

The same preposition can pull different cases. с means from plus Genitive (с ме́ста, off the spot) but with plus Instrumental (со словарём, with a dictionary). в and на take Accusative for direction (в музе́й, into the museum) but Prepositional for location (в музе́е, inside the museum). Watch the ending to tell which meaning is live.

Prepositions grow a vowel for smoother speech. о becomes об before a vowel (об а́рмии, об и́мени) and обо in fixed phrases (обо мне). в becomes во (во сне, во Фра́нции), с becomes со (со словарём), к becomes ко (ко мне). Same preposition, same case, just easier to pronounce.

Spelling rules that quietly reshape endings. After г, к, х, ж, ш, щ, ч you write и, never ы (кни́га becomes кни́ги). After ж, ш, щ, ч, ц you write а and у, never я and ю (ночь becomes ноча́м, not ночям). An unstressed о after those hushers turns to е in the Instrumental (муж becomes му́жем).

The мя group is tiny. Only ten neuter nouns follow it: и́мя, вре́мя, се́мя, зна́мя, пле́мя, бре́мя, стре́мя, те́мя, вы́мя, пла́мя. They insert ен before the ending in every form except Nominative and Accusative singular. Memorize the list, then treat the pattern as one unit.

The endings are freer than they look. Across the twelve paradigms, a great many cells repeat: the accusative copies the nominative or the genitive rather than having a form of its own, the dative and prepositional singular collapse onto -е for most feminine and neuter nouns, and every plural dative, instrumental and prepositional runs -ам / -ами / -ах or its soft twin. The tables carry far less unique information than their size suggests.

Gender is the codebook. You do not memorise endings independently. You learn a noun's gender once, and the ending becomes predictable from it. Gender is the key that picks the row; the case picks the column.

The irregular plurals worth knowing by heart. A short list with very high frequency, so it pays to learn them explicitly rather than hope to derive them: друг becomes друзья́, челове́к becomes лю́ди, ребёнок becomes де́ти, брат becomes бра́тья, сын becomes сыновья́, and мать and дочь grow an -ер- in every oblique form (ма́тери, до́чери).