accusative inanim sg

The Accusative Case (Inanimate Singular) in Russian

The Accusative case (vinitel’nyy padezh) is primarily used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb—the person or thing receiving the action. For inanimate nouns (objects that are not alive), the forms are very similar to the Nominative case.

1. Formation of Inanimate Nouns

For most inanimate nouns, you don't need to learn new endings, as they remain the same as the subject form (Nominative):

• Masculine: Usually has no ending or ends in -й (-y). It does not change.
  • stol (table) → stol
  • muzey (museum) → muzey
• Neuter: Ends in -о or -е. It does not change.
  • okno (window) → okno
  • more (sea) → more
• Feminine: These are the only nouns that typically change.
  • Ending in -а changes to -у (-u): kniga (book) → knigu
  • Ending in -я changes to -ю (-yu): zarya (dawn) → zaryu
  • Ending in -ь (soft sign) stays the same: noch’ (night) → noch’

2. Usage of the Accusative Case

A. Direct Objects

Used with transitive verbs. Sometimes the verb is omitted in polite requests:

• On lyubit Mashu (He loves Masha)
• Ona uchitsya vodit’ mashinu (She is learning to drive a car)
• Bud’te dobry, Zoyu (Can I speak to Zoya, please)

B. Impersonal Constructions

It can express physical or emotional states where the subject isn't performing the action:

• Devochku rvyot (The girl feels sick)
• Dom zazhglo molniyey (The house was struck by lightning)
• Mne zhal sestru (I feel sorry for my sister)
• Mne bol’no ruku (My hand is sore - colloquial)

C. Adverbial Meanings

The Accusative also specifies measurements and duration:

• Time/Space Duration: Vsyu zimu bylo kholodno (It was cold all winter); Vsyu dorogu oni shli molcha (They walked in silence all the way).
• Repetition: On eto govoril tysyachu raz (He has said that a thousand times); On boleyet kazhduyu vesnu (He is ill every spring).
• Cost and Weight: Kniga stoit dollar (The book costs a dollar); Ugol’ vesit tonnu (The coal weighs a ton).

3. Important Notes

After negated transitive verbs, the Genitive case is often used instead of the Accusative. Additionally, in colloquial Russian, some verbs that historically required the Genitive (like "to fear" or "to obey") are now often used with the Accusative: On slushayetsya sestru (He obeys his sister).