внутри vs внутрь
vnutri vs vnutr — inside (location) vs inward/inside (direction)
Register: neutral
What it really means
Внутри answers “where?” and describes a position inside something; it can stand alone or take genitive в meaning “inside of.” Внутрь answers “where to?” and describes movement into an interior, usually with в plus accusative or a bare adverbial complement. This is a location-versus-direction contrast.
Examples in natural speech
Внутри коробки лежит письмо.
There is a letter inside the box.
Внутри было тепло и тихо.
It was warm and quiet inside.
Он заглянул внутрь шкафа.
He looked inside the cupboard.
Занесите стул внутрь дома.
Carry the chair inside the house.
Кот забежал внутрь, когда начался дождь.
The cat ran inside when it started raining.
Common mistakes
Do not use внутри for a destination after motion: войти внутрь, not войти внутри. Conversely, стоять внутри means already be inside; the following noun is genitive after внутри, but accusative after в with directional внутрь.
Memory tip
Внутри answers where; внутрь answers where to.
Frequently asked questions
What case follows внутри?
When a noun is stated, внутри normally takes the genitive: внутри здания, внутри коробки.
Can внутрь stand alone?
Yes: войдите внутрь means “come/go inside,” and it does not require a noun when the destination is understood.
How is внутрь дома different from в доме?
Внутрь дома marks movement into the house; в доме marks location inside it.
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