Prepositional Case (Предложный падеж)
1. Location (Where?)
2. Topic (About what?)
Masculine
Endings:
-е, -ии; locative -у/-ю (limited)-ах, -яхExamples:
Feminine
Endings:
-е, -и-ах, -яхExamples:
Neuter
Endings:
-е, -ии-ах, -яхExamples:
Questions:
Examples:
Where do you live? → I live in the city.
What are you talking about? → We're talking about the movie.
Location Prepositions
Topic/Discussion Prepositions
Certain nouns have a special location form after в/на:
Common -у endings:
- • в лесу́ (in the forest)
- • в саду́ (in the garden)
- • в углу́ (in the corner)
- • на полу́ (on the floor)
- • на мосту́ (on the bridge)
- • в порту́ (in the port)
Regular -е endings:
- • о лесе (about the forest)
- • о саде (about the garden)
- • об угле (about the corner)
- • о поле (about the floor)
- • о мосте (about the bridge)
- • о порте (about the port)
- Prepositional = NEVER used without a preposition
- Location: в/на + prepositional ("where?" not "where to?")
- Topic: о/об/обо + prepositional ("talking about")
- Most singular nouns take -е; nouns in -ий/-ия/-ие take -ии.
- Special locative -у/-ю is restricted to particular nouns and expressions (в лесу́, на полу́).
- Feminine -ь nouns: change to -и (тетрадь → в тетради)
Build a location or topic phrase
Most masculine nouns add -е or replace -й/-ь with -е: стол → на столе (“on the table”), словарь → в словаре (“in the dictionary”). Feminine -а/-я normally becomes -е: книга → в книге (“in the book”). Feminine -ь becomes -и: ночь → о ночи (“about the night”). Neuter -о/-е normally becomes -е: окно → в окне (“in the window”), море → о море (“about the sea”).
If needed, swipe sideways to see all columns.
| Singular: dictionary → phrase | Plural: dictionary → phrase | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| дом → в доме | дома → в домах | in a house / houses |
| музей → в музее | музеи → в музеях | in a museum / museums |
| школа → в школе | школы → в школах | at a school / schools |
| тетрадь → в тетради | тетради → в тетрадях | in a notebook / notebooks |
| санаторий → в санатории | санатории → в санаториях | in a health resort / resorts |
| станция → на станции | станции → на станциях | at a station / stations |
| здание → в здании | здания → в зданиях | in a building / buildings |
Plural endings are -ах for hard stems and -ях for soft stems, subject to spelling rules: города → в городах (“in cities”), моря → о морях (“about seas”). Replace the dictionary plural ending. Singular -ии is not a plural rule: здания → в зданиях, not в здании for several buildings.
Keep modifiers in the same case
Adjectives use masculine/neuter -ом/-ем, feminine -ой/-ей, plural -ых/-их: новый дом → в новом доме (“in a new house”); синее море → о синем море (“about the blue sea”); новая школа → в новой школе (“at a new school”); новые школы → в новых школах (“at new schools”). Possessives change too: моя квартира → в моей квартире (“in my apartment”), мои квартиры → в моих квартирах (“in my apartments”).
Personal pronouns: обо мне (“about me”), о тебе (“about you”), о нём (“about him/it”), о ней (“about her”), о нас (“about us”), о вас (“about you”), о них (“about them”). Third-person forms retain н: в нём (“in it”), на ней (“on her/it”). Reflexive: о себе (“about oneself”).
Separate location, destination, and topic
Где? asks location: Я учусь в школе (“I study at school”). Куда? asks destination: Я иду в школу (“I am going to school”), with accusative. Compare на работе (“at work”) and на работу (“to work”). Movement alone does not force accusative: Я хожу в парке (“I walk in the park”) describes movement within a location; Я иду в парк (“I am going to the park”) names a destination.
Choose о, об, or обо by sound and phrase
Normally use о before a consonant sound: о работе (“about work”). Use об before a vowel sound: об Анне (“about Anna”), об экзамене (“about the exam”). Word-initial е, ё, ю, я normally begin with a /y/ consonant sound, so write о Европе (“about Europe”), о ёлке (“about the fir tree”), о Юлии (“about Yulia”), о языке (“about language”). Sound matters, not the vowel letter. Learn conventional phrases: обо мне, обо всём (“about everything”), обо всех (“about everyone”); but о многих (“about many people”).
Months use в + prepositional: в январе (“in January”), в феврале (“in February”), в мае (“in May”), в июне (“in June”), в сентябре (“in September”). В этом году (“this year”) is another special locative; a topic uses об этом годе. Compare seasons зимой (“in winter”), летом (“in summer”): instrumental, unlike months. При also governs prepositional: при Петре I (“under Peter I”), при мне (“in my presence”), not a general substitute for в.
Check yourself
Answer before opening each explanation.
1. Complete “in a new building” and “in new buildings” using новое здание.
В новом здании; в новых зданиях. The -ие noun takes singular -ии, while the plural takes -ях. The adjective agrees in case and number.
2. Choose о, об, or обо: ___ Юлии, ___ Анне, ___ мне.
О Юлии, об Анне, обо мне: “about Yulia, about Anna, about me.” Ю starts with consonant /y/; А with a vowel. Обо мне is a conventional phrase.
3. Complete: Мы гуляем в ___; мы говорим о ___ (лес).
В лесу́; о лесе: “We walk in the forest; we talk about the forest.” This noun has a restricted locative, not -у in every prepositional use.
4. “In May I go to school”: В мае я иду в школе or в школу?
В мае я иду в школу. В мае is prepositional time; в школу is accusative destination. В школе would describe a location, “at school.”
Targeted practice
Practise location forms, then contrast destination.
- Prepositional Case: Location 1 — practise location nouns with adjectives.
- Prepositions of Place: Location and Destination — choose в/на for places and movement.
- Prepositions: Case Selection 1 — test which case a construction requires.