Russian Cases Basics

1. именительный (nominative): subject 2. родительный (genitive): of, possession, absence 3. дательный (dative): to/for someone 4. винительный (accusative): direct object, direction 5. творительный (instrumental): with, by means of 6. предложный (prepositional): location, about

I'm reading a book. Accusative (direct object): книга → книгу. Feminine -а becomes -у.

I'm drinking water. Accusative (direct object): вода → воду.

I'm reading a magazine. Accusative: inanimate masculine nouns do not change.

I see my brother. Accusative: animate masculine nouns take -а (the same form as the genitive).

We're going to school. в + accusative = motion into a place (where to?).

I live in Moscow. Prepositional: в + location (where?). Москва → Москве.

The book is on the table. Prepositional: на + location. стол → столе.

She works at a school. Prepositional (location): школа → школе. Compare в школу (accusative) = to school.

We're talking about work. о + prepositional = about.

We're going by bus. на + prepositional for means of transport.

This is my brother's car. Genitive = possession (of the brother).

I have a dog. у + genitive + есть = to have. меня is the genitive of я.

I don't have time. нет + genitive = absence. время → времени.

We have no bread. нет + genitive: хлеб → хлеба.

A glass of water, please. Genitive after quantities and containers: вода → воды.

I'm from London. из + genitive = from.

I have two brothers. After 2, 3 and 4: genitive singular.

I have five books. After 5 and up: genitive plural. книга → книг.

I'm giving the book to mom. Dative = indirect object (to whom?). мама → маме.

I like music. Dative + нравится: literally "music is pleasing to me". мне is the dative of я.

My brother is twenty. Age uses the dative: брат → брату.

I'm going to the doctor. к + dative = toward a person. врач → врачу.

Call your friend. звонить takes the dative: друг → другу.

I drink tea with milk. с + instrumental = with. молоко → молоком.

I'm going to the movies with a friend. с + instrumental: друг → другом.

I write with a pen. Instrumental without a preposition = the tool you use. ручка → ручкой.

He works as a doctor. работать + instrumental for a job. врач → врачом.