Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

лeмeхa´

лeс, forest

лeсa´

луг, meadow

лугa´

мa´стeр, craftsman

мaстeрa´

но´мeр, number, hotel room

номeрa´

обшлa´г, cuff

обшлaгa´

о´круг, district

округa´

о´рдeр, order, warrant, writ

ордeрa´

о´стров, island

островa´

о´тпуск, (period of ) leave

отпускa´

пa´pyc, sail

пaрусa´

пa´спорт, passport

пaспортa´

пe´рeпeл, quail

пeрeпeлa´

по´вaр, cook

повaрa´

по´грeб, cellar

погрeбa´

поéзд, train

поeздa´

профe´ссор, professor

профeссорa´

poг, horn

рогa´

рукa´в, sleeve

рукaвa´

сви´тeр, sweater

свитeрa´

снeг, snow

снeгa´

сорт, sort

сортa´

стог, stack, rick

стогa´

сто´рож, watchman

сторожa´

тe´нор, tenor (mus)

тeнорa´

тe´тeрeв, black grouse

тeтeрeвa´

том, volume

томa´

фли´гeль, wing (of building)

флигeля´

флю´гeр, weather-vane

флюгeрa´

хлeв, cattle-shed, pigsty

хлeвa´

хо´лод, cold spell

холодa´

ху´тор, farmstead

хуторa´

чe´рeп, skull

чeрeпa´

шa´фeр, best man (at wedding)

шaфeрa´

шёлк, silk

шeлкa´

шу´лeр, card-sharp, cheat

шулeрa´

я´корь, anchor

якоря´

r Nouns whose standard nominative plural form may be felt to be - ы/- и

but which may have - a´/- я´in R1, D, or professional jargon. Forms marked † may be particularly frowned upon in the standard language.

бу´нкeр, bunker

бункeрa´/бу´нкeры

бухгa´лтeр, book-keeper, accountant

† бухгaлтeрa´/бухгa´лтeры

год, year

годa´/го´ды

до´гово´р, treaty, pact

договорa´/догово´ры

констру´ктор, designer, constructor

† конструкторa´/констру´кторы

крe´йсeр, cruiser (naval)

крeйсeрa´/крe´йсeры

ку´зов, body (of carriage)

кузовa´/ку´зовы

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9

Inflection

пe´кaрь, baker

пeкaря´/пe´кaри

прожe´ктор, searchlight

прожeкторa´/прожe´кторы

рeдa´ктор, editor

† рeдaкторa´/рeдa´кторы

рe´ктор, rector (head of higher

рeкторa´/рe´кторы

educational institution)

сe´ктор, sector

сeкторa´/сe´кторы

слe´сaрь, metal-worker, locksmith

слeсaря´/слe´сaри

то´поль, poplar tree

тополя´/то´поли

трa´ктор, tractor

трaкторa´/трa´кторы

цeх, workshop

цeхa´/цe´хи

шофёр, chauffeur

шофeрa´/шофёры

шторм, gale (nautical)

штормa´/што´рмы

9.1.7

Irregularities in the genitive plural of nouns

There are more irregularities that affect this case than any other, viz: insertion

(a)

affects many feminine and neuter nouns in which loss of final aor оof of о or e

the nominative singular forms leaves a zero ending, e.g.

бe´лкa, squirrel

бe´лок

ви´лкa, fork

ви´лок

окно´, window

о´кон

дe´вочкa, small girl

дe´вочeк

дeрe´вня, village

дeрeвe´нь

мeтлa´, broom

мётeл

(b)

ealso occurs in the genitive plural forms of most neuter nouns in - цeand - цо´, e.g.

полотe´нцe, towel

полотe´нeц

сe´рдцe, heart

сeрдe´ц

кольцо´, ring

колe´ц

крыльцо´, porch

крылe´ц

Note:

яйцо´, egg , has яи´ц.

(c)

ealso occurs in feminine and neuter nouns in which the first of two consonants preceding the final aor ois soft, as indicated by a soft sign, e.g.

письмо´, letter

пи´сeм

свa´дьбa, wedding

свa´дeб

тюрьмa´, prison

тю´рeм

Note:

про´сьбa, request , has про´сьб.

change

affects feminine nouns ending in - йкa, e.g.

of й to e

бaлaлa´йкa, balalaika

бaлaлaéк

гa´йкa, nut

гaéк

ко´йкa, bunk, berth

коéк

копe´йкa, kopeck

копeéк

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9.1

Declension of the noun

чa´йкa, seagull

чaéк

шa´йкa, gang

шaéк

zero

some masculine nouns ending in a hard consonant have a genitive

ending

plural form that is the same as the nominative singular form, e.g.

рaз, time, occasion. Other nouns with this so-called zero ending include:

(a)

some nouns which, when used in the plural, refer to pairs of things, e.g.

боти´нок

(ankle-high) boot

вa´лeнок

felt boot

глaз