Russian Prepositions

Russian prepositions choose the case of the word after them. Some change case with meaning: в школу (to school) vs в школе (at school), с другом (with a friend) vs с работы (from work). Learn the preposition, its meaning, and its case together.

How Russian Prepositions Work

Case Government

Choose the case for the meaning in this phrase:

• в + Accusative: direction (в школу)
• в + Prepositional: location (в школе)
• с + Instrumental: "with" (с другом)
• без + Genitive: "without" (без денег)

Key Rule:

Memorize: preposition + case requirement

Practice: preposition + noun in correct case

Context: where to? под стол / за дом (accusative); where? под столом / за домом (instrumental)

Which case follows a common preposition?

Begin with the meaning, then choose the case. A preposition can appear in more than one row when its meaning changes.

If needed, swipe sideways to see all columns.

Common Russian prepositions by case and meaning
Case	Common prepositions	In a phrase
Genitive	из, от, у, до, без, для, с (from)	из школы · у друга · с работы
Dative	к, по (along/by)	к врачу · по улице
Accusative	в/на (to), через, про, за (behind)/под (under: movement)	в школу · через парк · за дом · под стол
Instrumental	с (with), за (behind)/под (under: location), перед, над	с другом · за домом · под столом
Prepositional	в/на (at), о/об, при	в школе · на работе · о книге

The noun’s ending also depends on gender and number. For forms, see the six-case guide or practise case selection.

Genitive Case Prepositions

In the meanings shown here, these prepositions take the Genitive case

из

from, out of

из дома (from home)

из России (from Russia)

из магазина (from the store)

от

from (a person), away from

письмо от мамы (letter from mom)

далеко от центра (far from center)

до

until, up to, before

до утра (until morning)

до университета (as far as the university)

для

for, for the sake of

подарок для мамы (gift for mom)

книга для детей (book for children)

без

without

без сахара (without sugar)

без друзей (without friends)

at someone's place; possession

у друга (at a friend's place)

у меня есть книга (I have a book)

Dative Case Prepositions

In the meanings shown here, these prepositions take the Dative case

toward, to (a person)

иду к врачу (going to the doctor)

подойти к окну (approach the window)

по

along, according to, by

иду по улице (walking along the street)

говорить по телефону (speak by phone)

Accusative Case Prepositions

In the meanings shown here, these prepositions take the Accusative case

into, to (direction)

иду в школу (going to school)

лечу в Москву (flying to Moscow)

на

onto, to (direction)

на работу (to work)

на концерт (to a concert)

на стол (onto the table)

за

behind (movement), for

зайти за дом (go behind the house)

спасибо за помощь (thanks for the help)

под

under (movement)

залезть под стол (crawl under the table)

через

through, across, over

через дорогу (across the road)

через час (in an hour)

про

about (informal topic)

рассказ про друга (story about a friend)

Instrumental Case Prepositions

In the meanings shown here, these prepositions take the Instrumental case

with, together with

с другом (with a friend)

чай с сахаром (tea with sugar)

над

above, over

над столом (above the table)

работать над проектом (work on a project)

под

under (location)

под столом (under the table)

под дождём (in the rain)

за

behind (location); at

за домом (behind the house)

за столом (at the table)

перед

in front of; before

перед домом (in front of the house)

перед уроком (before the lesson)

Prepositional Case Prepositions

In the meanings shown here, these prepositions take the Prepositional case

in, at (location)

в школе (at school)

в Москве (in Moscow)

в доме (in the house)

на

on, at (location)

на работе (at work)

на столе (on the table)

на концерте (at a concert)

о/об

about, concerning

говорить о работе (talk about work)

думать об экзамене (think about exam)

при

at, in the presence of, during

при университете (at the university)

при царе (during the tsar's reign)

⚠️ Tricky Prepositions: В vs НА

Direction vs. Location

В (into/in)

Direction (Acc): иду в школу

Location (Prep): сижу в школе

Often use В for buildings, cities, and countries; learn common place names as phrases.

НА (onto/on)

Direction (Acc): иду на работу

Location (Prep): работаю на работе

Often use НА for surfaces, events, and places such as work; not every choice is predictable.

Fixed Expressions with НА

• на работе/работу (at/to work)

• на почте/почту (at/to post office)

• на концерте/концерт (at/to concert)

• на вокзале/на вокзал (at/to station)

• на урок/уроке (to/at lesson)

• на дачу/даче (to/at dacha)

• на север/севере (to/in the north)

• на кухню/кухне (to/in kitchen)

These must be memorized as they don't follow logical rules!

🔄 Prepositions with Multiple Cases

Preposition С

С + Instrumental (with)

с другом (with a friend)

с молоком (with milk)

С + Genitive (from)

с работы (from work)

с севера (from the north)

со стола (from the table)

с утра (since morning)

Preposition ЗА

ЗА + Accusative

спасибо за помощь (thanks for help)

платить за билет (pay for ticket)

Мяч закатился за дом (The ball rolled behind the house — movement)

ЗА + Instrumental

Мяч лежит за домом (The ball is behind the house — location)

за столом (at the table)

за границей (abroad - location)

следить за детьми (look after children)

Destination, location, and source

Movement to a place with в/на takes accusative; being there takes prepositional. For the source of a trip, use из after many в destinations and с after many на destinations; both take genitive.

School · в / из

Я иду в школу. → Я учусь в школе. → Я иду из школы.

I’m going to school (accusative). → I study at school (prepositional). → I’m coming from school (genitive).

Work · на / с

Я иду на работу. → Я на работе. → Я иду с работы.

I’m going to work (accusative). → I’m at work (prepositional). → I’m coming from work (genitive).

Place a book · на

Я кладу книгу на стол. → Книга лежит на столе.

I put the book onto the table (accusative). → The book lies on the table (prepositional).

Person or place · к / у / от

Я иду к другу. → Я у друга. → Я иду от друга.

I go to a friend (dative). → I’m at a friend’s place (genitive). → I’m leaving the friend’s place (genitive).

For choosing идти/ходить or ехать/ездить, read motion verbs. Then practise direction and source or practise к, от, из, and routes.

When the same preposition takes another case

с · with vs from

Я говорю с другом — with a friend (instrumental). Я иду с работы — from work (genitive). Do not use с утра as an instrumental example: утра is genitive.

за · behind: movement vs location

Мяч закатился за дом — the ball rolled behind the house (accusative). Мяч лежит за домом — the ball is behind the house (instrumental). Спасибо за помощь also takes accusative.

под · under: movement vs location

Кот залез под стол — the cat crawled under the table (accusative). Кот сидит под столом — the cat sits under the table (instrumental). For “the cat is sitting under the table,” don’t use ~~под стол~~.

по · usually dative, but not always

Я иду по улице — I’m walking along the street (dative); по расписанию — according to the schedule (dative). In formal time phrases such as по окончании урока (“after the lesson ends”), окончании is prepositional. Learn the whole phrase.

💡 Learning Strategies & Common Mistakes

Learning Strategies:

✅ Learn preposition + case as one unit
✅ Practice direction vs. location pairs
✅ Memorize fixed expressions with НА
✅ Create mental images for spatial prepositions
✅ Use prepositional phrases in full sentences

Common Mistakes:

❌ For “I’m going to school”: ~~Иду в школа~~ → Иду в школу
❌ For “I’m at work”: ~~Я в работе~~ → Я на работе
❌ For “I’m going to school,” use в школу (destination), not в школе (location)
❌ Literal translation: ~~играть с компьютер~~ → играть на компьютере
❌ Forgetting case changes: ~~без деньги~~ → без денег

Practise multi-case prepositions, then see motion verbs to distinguish moving toward a place from being there.

Where prepositions fits in Russian grammar

Prepositions select grammatical cases, so they are best learned with case endings, motion, and location patterns. The complete guide shows how these choices fit into full Russian sentences.

See how Russian grammar fits together