к vs у

k vs u — to/toward someone vs at someone’s place

What it really means

"К" and "у" often appear around people, but they describe different relationships. К means toward or to someone and takes the dative: к другу (to a friend), к врачу (to the doctor). У means at someone’s place, near someone, or in someone’s possession and takes the genitive: у друга (at a friend’s place), у врача (at the doctor’s), у меня (I have / with me).

Compare the movement and arrival: "Я иду к врачу" means I am going to the doctor, while "Я у врача" means I am at the doctor’s. For possession, у + genitive is the standard pattern: у меня есть время (I have time).

Examples in natural speech

Я иду к другу.
I am going to my friend.
Я сейчас у друга.
I am at my friend’s place now.
Она записалась к врачу.
She made an appointment with the doctor.
Она уже у врача.
She is already at the doctor’s.
У меня есть вопрос.
I have a question.
Подойди к окну.
Come over to the window.

Common mistakes

Do not use у for movement toward a person: "Я иду у друга" means I am going at my friend’s place and is not the normal way to say I am going to my friend. Use к + dative for the destination and у + genitive for the place or possession: к другу, у друга.

Memory tip

К points toward a destination; у places you there or says something is with you/someone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between к and у in Russian?

К means to or toward someone and takes the dative: к другу, к врачу. У means at someone’s place, near someone, or in someone’s possession and takes the genitive: у друга, у врача, у меня.

How do you say I am going to the doctor in Russian?

Say "Я иду к врачу." К + dative marks the destination. Once you arrive, say "Я у врача" (I am at the doctor’s).

Why does у меня mean I have in Russian?

Russian expresses possession as "at me there is": у меня есть. У takes the genitive, so меня is the genitive form of я. The same pattern works with у тебя, у него, and у нас.

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