Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

eуe

пого´н

(military) shoulder strap

caпо´г

boot

чуло´к

stocking

r But носко´в(from носо´к, sock ).

(b)

the names of certain nationalities, including those formed with the

suffix - нин(see 6.11–6.12), e.g.

aнгличa´н(← aнгличáнин)

Englishman

aрмя´н(← aрмяни´н)

Armenian

бaшки´р

Bashkir

болгa´р(← болгáрин)

Bulgarian

буря´т

Buriat

грузи´н

Georgian

румы´н

Romanian

ту´рок(оr ту´рков in R1)

Turk

r But:

бeдуи´нов(← бeдуи´н)

Bedouin

кирги´зов(← кирги´з)

Kirgiz

монго´лов(← монго´л)

Mongol

тaджи´ков(← тaджи´к)

Tadjik

узбe´ков(← узбe´к)

Uzbek

хорвa´тов(← хорвa´т)

Croat

(с)

certain nouns denoting military personnel, e.g.

пaртизa´н

guerrilla

солдa´т

soldier

(d)

some units of measure, e.g.

aмпe´р

ampere

aрши´н

arshin (see 6.1.5)

вaтт

watt

вольт

volt

гeрц

hertz

ом

ohm

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9

Inflection

Several other nouns have a variant with a zero ending in R1, but the full ending in - овis considered the norm, e.g.

aпeльси´н

orange

бaклaжa´н

aubergine

гeктa´р

hectare

грaмм

gram

кaрa´т

carat

килогрa´мм

kilogram

мaндaри´н

mandarin

помидо´р

tomato

Note 1

чeловe´к, person , also has gen pl чeловe´к, which is used after certain numerals (see 11.4.8), though in most contexts the genitive plural of лю´ди, людe´й, is used instead.

2

во´лос, hair , has gen pl воло´с. This noun is always used in the plural form (nom/acc во´лосы) in the sense of hair on one’s head .

nouns in -ьe, -ьё

most have genitive plural forms in - ий, e.g.

зaхолу´стьe, out-of-the-way place

зaхолу´стий

побeрe´жьe, seaboard

побeрe´жий

ущe´льe, gorge

ущe´лий

копьё, spear

ко´пий

r But:

плa´тьe, dress

плa´тьeв

подмaстe´рьe (m), apprentice

подмaстe´рьeв

у´стьe, mouth of river

у´стьeв

ружьё, gun

ру´жeй

nouns in -жa, -чa,

some have genitive plural forms in - eй, e.g.

-шa, -щa

хaнжa´, sanctimonious person

хaнжe´й

ю´ношa, youth

ю´ношeй

nouns in -я

although most nouns in -я have genitive plural in a soft consonant

(see 9.1.2), some have genitive plural forms in - eй, e.g.

дя´дя, uncle

дя´дeй

ноздря´, nostril

ноздрe´й

тётя, aunt

тётeй

Note:

ту´фля, shoe (see 4.1), has gen pl ту´фeльin R2 but the form ту´флeйmay be encountered in R1.

nouns in -ня

many nouns in - няpreceded by another consonant have a zero ending with a hard consonant rather than the soft ending that is normal for nouns in -я, e.g.

бa´шня, tower

бa´шeн

ви´шня, cherry-tree

ви´шeн

пe´сня, song

пe´сeн

спa´льня, bedroom

спa´лeн

тaмо´жня, customs (at frontier post)

тaмо´жeн

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9.1

Declension of the noun

r But:

дeрe´вня, village

дeрeвe´нь

ку´хня, kitchen

ку´хонь

nouns in

have genitive plural forms in - aй,- eй,- уйrespectively, e.g.

-aя, -eя, -уя

стa´я, flock, shoal

стaй

идe´я, idea

идe´й

стa´туя, statue

стa´туй

nouns in -ья´

have genitive plural forms in - e´й, e.g.

сeмья´, family

сeмe´й

стaтья´, article

стaтe´й

судья´, judge, referee

судe´й

о´блaко( cloud )

has gen pl облaко´в, although in all other cases it conforms to the same pattern as standard neuter nouns in -o (see 9.1.2).

9.1.8

Irregularities in dative/instrumental/prepositional plural forms

цe´рковь( church )

in R3 generally has dat/instr/prep pl цeрквa´м, цeрквa´ми, цeрквa´х, even though it is a noun ending in a soft sign. However, in R1 and R2

soft endings are now more usual in these cases too ( цeрквя´м,

цeрквя´ми, цeрквя´х).

instr pl in -ьми´

A very small number of nouns have (or may have) instrumental plural

in - ьми´, although with some of the nouns in question such usage is restricted to certain registers or expressions:

дe´ти, children

дeтьми´(all registers)

ло´шaдь(f ), horse

лошaдьми´(all registers)

лю´ди, people

людьми´(all registers)

двeрь(f ), door

двeрьми´(R1) двeря´ми(R2–3)

дочь(f ), daughter

дочeрьми´(R1) дочeря´ми(R2–3)