The Grammar Of Russian Nominative Case

When To Use Nominative?

Nominative is the case of the subject. Subject tells who or what is taking action. It is usually the first phrase in the sentence, but Russian allows also other word orders for conscious emphasis. Adjectives qualifying the subject are also in nominative.

A grey cat killed my pet hamster.

In the basement (and not in the attic) I found the body of my hamster.

In passive constructs with -ься, the grammatical subject is in nominative, even if semantically it is the target of action.

My pet hamster was finished by a cat.

Substantives In Plural Nominative

Nominative plural is quite regular and mostly depends on the last letters in the word.

Last letter	Plural ending	Example	In English
consonant except й(masc.) (*)	-ы	Коты́ Коты is a plural, nominative form of коты kissa выступаются выступаются is a present tense, 3rd person, plural, imperfective form of выступаются kissa вечером. вечером is a masculine, singular, instrumental form of вечер evening tonight, this evening (formal) party, social gathering, soiree Тоже Тоже is a positive form of тоже kissa её её (possessive pronoun) her, hers, its кот кот is a masculine, singular, nominative form of кот tomcat обы́чно обычно is a positive form of обычно usually, habitually, customarily вне вне is a requiring genitive form of вне out of, outside до́ма дома is a masculine, singular, genitive form of дом house (building) home family household вся́ вся is a feminine, singular, nominative form of весь all, the whole, the whole of everything, all everybody, everyone ночь. ночь is a feminine, singular, nominative form of ночь night	Cats go out at night. Also her cat is usually outdoors the whole night.
-й (masculine)	-и	са́мый самый is a masculine, singular, nominative form of самый kissa внутренный внутренный is a masculine, singular, nominative form of внутренный kissa сло́й слой is a masculine, singular, nominative form of слой layer (geology) stratum coat, coating (of paint, etc.) ку́ртки куртки is a feminine, singular, genitive form of куртка jacket (a short coat) из из is a requiring genitive form of из from out of of, through черной черной is a feminine, singular, genitive form of чёрный black rough, coarse back (stairs, entrance, etc.) (labor) unskilled, manual (metal) ferrous шерсти. шерсти is a feminine, singular, genitive form of шерсть hair, wool, fleece, fur (hair of sheep, etc.) woollen cloth, worsted, wadding слои́ слои is a plural, nominative form of слой layer (geology) stratum coat, coating (of paint, etc.) черной черной is a feminine, singular, genitive form of чёрный black rough, coarse back (stairs, entrance, etc.) (labor) unskilled, manual (metal) ferrous ше́рсти шерсти is a feminine, singular, genitive form of шерсть hair, wool, fleece, fur (hair of sheep, etc.) woollen cloth, worsted, wadding и и is a ERROR form of и kissa вареной вареной is a feminine, singular, genitive form of варёный (of a food) boiled, cooked by boiling ко́жи кожи is a feminine, singular, genitive form of кожа skin leather де́ржат держат is a present tense, 3rd person, plural, imperfective form of держать to hold, keep, support Черных Черных is a plural, accusative form of чёрный black rough, coarse back (stairs, entrance, etc.) (labor) unskilled, manual (metal) ferrous Братьев Братьев is a plural, accusative form of брат brother old boy, pal в в is a requiring accusative form of в (location) in, at, on (+ prepositional case) (direction) to, into (+ accusative case) (time) at, in, on per тепло. тепло is a neutral, singular, accusative form of тепло heat (physics: thermal energy) warmth (weather) warm weather	The innermost layer of the coat was made of black cotton. Layers of black cotton and boiled leather keep Black Brothers warm.
-ь (masc. or fem.)	-и	Её её (possessive pronoun) her, hers, its спосо́бности способности is a feminine, singular, genitive form of способность ability, capability (the quality or state of being able) faculty capacity talent (often plural) power quality недоста́точно недостаточно is a short nominative form of недостаточный insufficient для для is a requiring genitive form of для for управле́ния управления is a neutral, singular, genitive form of управление administration, direction management board (engineering) control (grammar) government компании, компании is a feminine, singular, genitive form of компания company но но is a ERROR form of но kissa у у is a ERROR form of у at, by, near in the possession of (used to express "to have") её её (possessive pronoun) her, hers, its доста́точно достаточно is a short nominative form of достаточный sufficient спосо́бность способность is a feminine, singular, nominative form of способность ability, capability (the quality or state of being able) faculty capacity talent (often plural) power quality уйти́ уйти is a infinitive form of уйти to leave, to depart, to go (away) (by foot) to escape, to evade to resign, to retire to be lost to fail to sink, to plunge to be spent с с is a requiring genitive form of с with (+ instrumental case) from, off, from off, from below (with abstract nouns; nouns entailing a flat, open area; and special exceptions) (+ genitive case) because of, since (expressing a cause of motivation) (+ genitive case) for, about (indefinite time or number) (+ accusative case) (for indicating a duration of time; used in two forms: ''с +genitive по +accusative'' and ''с +genitive до +genitive'') (for time expressions) до́лжности должности is a feminine, singular, genitive form of должность office, post, appointment, position пе́ред перед is a requiring instrumental form of перед in front of, before (right or immediately) before проблемами. проблемами is a plural, instrumental form of проблема problem (difficulty)	She didn't have the skills to run the company, but she had enough ability to step aside before problems.
-a (feminine) (*)	-ы	Моя́ Моя is a feminine, singular, nominative form of мой (possessive pronoun) my, mine неве́ста невеста is a feminine, singular, nominative form of невеста fiancée, bride marriageable girl три три is a accusative form of три kissa го́да года is a masculine, singular, genitive form of год year краснее краснее is a comparative form of красный red (archaic) beautiful че́м чем is a ERROR form of чем kissa мои́ мои is a plural, nominative form of мой (possessive pronoun) my, mine пре́жние прежние is a plural, nominative form of прежний former, previous невесты. невесты is a plural, nominative form of невеста fiancée, bride marriageable girl	My fiancee of three years is prettier than my former girlfriends.
-я (feminine)	-и	Но́вые Новые is a plural, nominative form of новый new novel recent modern подзе́мные подземные is a plural, nominative form of подземный underground, subterranean (below ground, under the earth, underground) ста́нции станции is a plural, nominative form of станция station office, exchange (railroad) yard power plant откро́ются откроются is a future tense, 3rd person, plural, perfective form of открыться to open to come to light to confide, open up, declare oneself {{passive of\|lang=ru\|откры́ть}} в в is a requiring prepositional form of в (location) in, at, on (+ prepositional case) (direction) to, into (+ accusative case) (time) at, in, on per августе. августе is a masculine, singular, prepositional form of август August, eighth month of the year, containing 31 days. Ближа́йшая Ближайшая is a superlative form of близкий close, intimate, near ста́нция станция is a feminine, singular, nominative form of станция station office, exchange (railroad) yard power plant будет будет is a ERROR form of будет kissa 1 км км is a masculine, singular, genitive form of км km, kilometer от от is a requiring genitive form of от from since моего́ моего is a masculine, singular, genitive form of мой (possessive pronoun) my, mine дома. дома is a masculine, singular, genitive form of дом house (building) home family household	New subway stations open up in August. The closest station will be 1km from my home.
-o (neuter)	-a	По́сле После is a requiring genitive form of после after (in time) очи́стки очистки is a feminine, singular, genitive form of очистка cleaning, purification, clearing, refinement peeling (military) mopping-up (economics) clearance все все is a plural, nominative form of весь all, the whole, the whole of everything, all everybody, everyone окна окна is a plural, nominative form of окно window бы́ли были is a ERROR form of были kissa ясные, ясные is a plural, nominative form of ясный clear bright fine limpid discrete evident но но is a ERROR form of но kissa оди́н один is a nominative form of один kissa окно́ окно is a neutral, singular, nominative form of окно window разбился. разбился is a past tense, masculine, singular, perfective form of разбиться (intransitive) to break, to crash, to shatter (intransitive) to break up, to split, to divide to collapse, to die (e.g. of dreams) to get seriously hurt {{passive of\|lang=ru\|разби́ть}}	After cleaning, all windows were clear, but one window broke.
-e (neuter)	-я	Э́то Это is a neutral, singular, nominative form of это {{non-gloss definition\|demonstrative pronoun}}: this, it, that {{non-gloss definition\|neuter form of этот}}: this; compare этот/эта/эти and тот/то/та/те о́фисное офисное is a neutral, singular, nominative form of офисный (attributive) office зда́ние здание is a neutral, singular, nominative form of здание building, edifice, structure пустое, пустое is a neutral, singular, nominative form of пустой empty, void, hollow idle ''talking'' shallow ''personality'' futile, frivolous vain, ungrounded други́е другие is a plural, nominative form of другие kissa зда́ния здания is a plural, nominative form of здание building, edifice, structure представля́ют представляют is a present tense, 3rd person, plural, imperfective form of представлять to present, offer to produce, show to introduce, present to imagine, picture, fancy, conceive to perform, act to represent, embody, depict, envision, figure, realize to represent, be to recommend, put forward о́фисы офисы is a plural, accusative form of офис office для для is a requiring genitive form of для for все́х всех is a plural, genitive form of весь all, the whole, the whole of everything, all everybody, everyone компаний. компаний is a plural, genitive form of компания company	This office building is empty, other buildings offer offices for all companies.

(*) If the last letter of the stem is г, ж, or к, then the plural ending is -и.

Ending	Example Word	Example Sentence	In English
-г (masculine)	пудинг, пудинги	Мне Мне is a 1st person, singular, dative form of мне kissa нра́вятся нравятся is a present tense, 3rd person, plural, imperfective form of нравиться to like (the person who likes is the object of the verb) to please разли́чные различные is a plural, nominative form of различный different (not the same) diverse, various пудинги, пудинги is a plural, nominative form of пудинг pudding и́менно именно is a particle. A form of именно kissa шокола́дный шоколадный is a masculine, singular, nominative form of шоколадный of chocolate пудинг. пудинг is a masculine, singular, nominative form of пудинг pudding	I like various puddings, especially chocolate pudding.
-га (feminine)	нога, ноги	У У is a requiring genitive form of у at, by, near in the possession of (used to express "to have") меня́ меня is a 1st person, singular, genitive form of меня me (accusative case\|accusative and genitive case of '''я'). ноги ноги is a plural, nominative form of нога leg foot уста́ли устали is a past tense, ERROR, plural, perfective form of устать to get tired и и is a particle. A form of и (preceding a verb) {{non-gloss definition\|Emphasizes the truth of the following verb. Note that "{{l\|ru\|есть}}" is also used, which is usually omitted.}} ле́вая левая is a feminine, singular, nominative form of левый left, left-hand (nautical) port left-wing, leftist counterfeit (slang) wrong, strange, unsuitable, impertinent нога́ нога is a feminine, singular, nominative form of нога leg foot болит. болит is a present tense, 3rd person, singular, imperfective form of болеть to be sick, to be ill, to be ailing to be anxious, to be apprehensive (3rd-person only) hurts\|hurts/hurt, aches\|aches/ache to cheer (for a team)	My legs are tired and the left leg aches.
-ж (masculine)	нож, ножи	то́лько только is a particle. A form of только kissa оди́н один is a nominative form of один kissa нож нож is a masculine, singular, nominative form of нож knife blade остер, остер is a masculine, singular, nominative form of остер kissa други́е другие is a plural, nominative form of другие kissa ножи ножи is a plural, nominative form of нож knife blade должны должны is a short nominative form of должный due; required наточить. наточить is a infinitive form of наточить kissa	Only one knife is sharp, the others knives need sharpening.
-жа (feminine)	лужа, лужи	Дождь Дождь is a masculine, singular, nominative form of дождь (meteorology) rain ка́к как is a ERROR form of как kissa из из is a requiring genitive form of из from out of of, through ведра! ведра is a neutral, singular, genitive form of ведро bucket, pail vedro; an ancient Russian measure of liquids equal to 12.3 liters (1/40 бочка\|бочки) На́ На is a requiring prepositional form of на onto, on to, toward into, in (duration, value, purpose) for about, for (indicating the duration of an action following the verb; must have perfective aspect and past finite form) on, upon in, at with, for у́лице улице is a feminine, singular, prepositional form of улица street повсю́ду повсюду is a positive form of повсюду (colloquial) everywhere, far and wide лужи, лужи is a plural, nominative form of лужа puddle, pool и и is a ERROR form of и kissa с с is a requiring genitive form of с with (+ instrumental case) from, off, from off, from below (with abstract nouns; nouns entailing a flat, open area; and special exceptions) (+ genitive case) because of, since (expressing a cause of motivation) (+ genitive case) for, about (indefinite time or number) (+ accusative case) (for indicating a duration of time; used in two forms: ''с +genitive по +accusative'' and ''с +genitive до +genitive'') (for time expressions) кры́ш крыш is a plural, genitive form of крыша roof (figuratively) house, dwelling place {{label\|ru\|slang\|criminal}} protection {{label\|ru\|slang\|criminal}} someone who provides protection льётся льется is a future tense, 3rd person, singular, perfective form of льется kissa вода. вода is a feminine, singular, nominative form of вода water (chemistry) H₂O	It's really coming down! There are puddles all over the street, and water is pouring down from the rooftops.
-к (masculine)	мальчик, мальчики	Все Все is a plural, nominative form of весь all, the whole, the whole of everything, all everybody, everyone мальчики мальчики is a plural, nominative form of мальчик boy lad в в is a requiring prepositional form of в (location) in, at, on (+ prepositional case) (direction) to, into (+ accusative case) (time) at, in, on per кла́ссе классе is a masculine, singular, prepositional form of класс class {{label\|ru\|sociology\|economics}} class (biology) class {{label\|ru\|education\|school}} grade (United States); form (British) classroom {{label\|ru\|programming\|object-oriented}} class рабо́тали работали is a past tense, ERROR, plural, imperfective form of работать to work to function to labor, to toil to be open (for business) усердно, усердно is a positive form of усердно diligently, industriously (in a diligent manner) но но is a ERROR form of но kissa оди́н один is a nominative form of один kissa ма́льчик мальчик is a masculine, singular, nominative form of мальчик boy lad то́лько только is a particle. A form of только kissa игра́л играл is a past tense, masculine, singular, imperfective form of играть to play to act, to perform to gamble (of a storm) to rage (of wine) to sparkle на́ на is a requiring prepositional form of на onto, on to, toward into, in (duration, value, purpose) for about, for (indicating the duration of an action following the verb; must have perfective aspect and past finite form) on, upon in, at with, for гита́ре гитаре is a feminine, singular, prepositional form of гитара guitar (mechanical engineering) change gear, swing-frame, swingarm, bracket (mechanics) swing-frame gear (mechanics) quadrant (mechanics) adjustment plate ве́сь весь is a masculine, singular, accusative form of весь all, the whole, the whole of everything, all everybody, everyone день. день is a masculine, singular, accusative form of день day, daytime afternoon	All boys in the class worked hard, except one boy only played guitar all day.
-ка (feminine)	собака, собаки	Моя́ Моя is a feminine, singular, nominative form of мой (possessive pronoun) my, mine соба́ка собака is a feminine, singular, nominative form of собака dog hound (pejorative) mongrel; bastard (Internet) @ (at sign) белая, белая is a feminine, singular, nominative form of белый white light, fair secular white, Caucasian но но is a ERROR form of но kissa мои́ мои is a plural, nominative form of мой (possessive pronoun) my, mine ко́шки кошки is a plural, nominative form of кошка cat cat-o'-nine-tails (technical) grapnel, drag (technical) grappel fork (cranes) car, trolley, carriage (geology) spit, bar (in the plural) climbing irons, climbing grapplers чёрные. черные is a plural, nominative form of чёрный black rough, coarse back (stairs, entrance, etc.) (labor) unskilled, manual (metal) ferrous	My dog is white, but my cats are black.

Singular masculine nominative is the uninflected dictionary form of nominals. Nominals include nouns, adjectives, pronouns and numerals. In addition there is plural nominative form for all other nominals except numerals.

Adjectives In Nominative

Adjectives follow the case and plurality of the noun they describe.

Adjective nominative is usually:

In masculine singluar, whatever the dictionary tells you.
-ая in singular feminine, except for a some soft stem adjectives you need to learn by heart.
-ое in singular neuter, except for adjectives derived from verbs (present imperfect participe)
-ый or -ий in plural, following complex but regular pattern.

	Common			Exceptions
	Regular Adjectives	Stem ends in г, к, х	Stem ends in ж, ч, ш, щ	Soft stem adjectives	Ending in -ой
Masculine	красный стул red chair	глубокий рубец deep scar	хороший вопрос good question	синий стул blue chair	большой волк big wolf
Feminine	красная машина red car	глубокая шахта deep mine shaft	хорошая попытка good attempt	синяя машина blue car	большая проблема big problem
Neuter	красное море Red Sea	глубокое замораживание deep-freezing	хорошее решение good solution	синее море blue sea	большое окно big window
Plural (all genders)	красные машины red cars	глубокие шахты deep mine shafts	хорошие вопросы good questions	синие машины blue cars	большие окна big windows

Pronouns In Nominative

Look at the pronouns page.

Numerals In Nominative

Learn them from the numerals page.

Nominative Case

Parts of Speech

Noun Cases

Themes

Vocabulary

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Table of Contents

When To Use Nominative?

Substantives In Plural Nominative

Adjectives In Nominative

Pronouns In Nominative

Numerals In Nominative