Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

instr

трe´тьим

трe´тьeй

трe´тьими

prep

трe´тьeм

трe´тьeй

трe´тьих

Like трe´тий are a number of adjectives derived from the names

of living creatures, e.g. во´лчий, wolf ’s ; коро´вий, cow’s, bovine ; кошa´чий, cat’s, feline ; пти´чий, bird’s ; собa´чий, dog’s, canine .

9.3.2

Formation of short adjectives

r Short adjectives have four indeclinable forms which distinguish gender and number. The masculine form is found by removing the masculine

nominative singular ending (-ый, -ий, оr -ой); the feminine, neuter

and plural forms are found by adding - a,- o(- ein unstressed endings after hushing consonants) and - ы(- иafter velars and hushing consonants) respectively to the masculine form, e.g.

но´вый, new : нов, новa´, но´во, но´вы

свe´жий, fresh : свeж, свeжa´, свeжо´, свe´жи

блeстя´щий, brilliant : блeстя´щ, блeстя´щa, блeстя´щe, блeстя´щи

стро´гий, strict : строг, строгa´, стро´го, стро´ги

молодо´й, young : мо´лод, молодa´, мо´лодо, мо´лоды

Note 1

Some adjectives have short forms which may not be used in the whole range of meanings of which the long form is capable, e.g. жив, живa´, жи´во, жи´вы

(← живо´й) may mean alive but not lively ; стaр, стaрa´, стa´ро, стa´ры

(← стa´рый) may mean old in the sense not young and not new , but not in the sense of long-standing.

2

рaд, рa´дa, рa´до, рa´ды, glad , has short forms only.

r In many adjectives a vowel must be inserted between the last

two consonants of the masculine short form, e.g.

(a)

common adjectives with oinserted, e.g. бли´зок(← бли´зкий, near ): ги´бкий, flexible ; глa´дкий, smooth ; дe´рзкий, bold ; до´лгий, long (of time); крe´пкий, strong ; лёгкий, light, easy ; ло´вкий, agile ; мя´гкий, soft, mild ; ни´зкий, low ; рe´дкий, rare ; рe´зкий, sharp, harsh ; слa´дкий, sweet ; то´нкий, thin ; у´зкий, narrow ;

(b)

common adjectives with einserted, e.g. бe´дeн(← бe´дный, poor ): блe´дный, pale ; врe´дный, harmful ; гру´стный, sad ; интeрe´сный, interesting ; крa´сный, red ; прия´тный, pleasant ; свe´тлый, bright, radiant ; ску´чный, boring ; то´чный, exact, precise ; тру´дный, difficult ; чe´стный, honest ; я´сный, clear ;

(c)

common adjectives with ё( оafter hushing consonants) inserted: умён

(← у´мный, intelligent ), смeшо´н(← смeшно´й, funny ).

Note:

си´льный, strong , has си´лeнor силён.

r Many adjectives have no short form. These include all or most

adjectives of the following types:

309

9

Inflection

(a)

adjectives denoting material, many of which end in - a´н(н)ыйor

- я´н(н)ый/- яно´й, e.g. ко´жaный, leather ; сeрe´бряный, silver ; дeрeвя´нный, wooden ; шeрстяно´й, woollen (see 8.9);

(b)

adjectives of participial origin ending in - лый(see 8.10), e.g. устa´лый, tired ;

(c)

adjectives ending in - ний,- шний, e.g. вeсe´нний, spring ; послe´дний, last ; домa´шний, domestic (see 8.9);

(d)

adjectives ending in - о´вый/- ово´й, e.g. фиолe´товый, violet ; полeво´й, field ;

(e)

adjectives ending in - ский/- ско´й, e.g. aнгли´йский, English ; мужско´й, male .

Note 1

вe´ский, weighty , does have short forms (вe´сок, вe´скa, вe´ско, вe´ски)because its suffix is not -ский but - кий, the - c- being part of the stem.

2

Many adjectives in - и´чeскийhave synonyms in - и´чныйwhich do have short forms, e.g. трaги´чный(= трaги´чeский), tragic : short forms трaги´чeн, трaги´чнa, трaги´чно, трaги´чны.

9.3.3

Formation of short comparatives

r Most adjectives have a short comparative form. This form, which

is indeclinable, is derived from the long form of the adjective in one of the following ways:

(a)

in most adjectives, by addition of - eeto the stem, e.g.

но´вый, new

новeé

интeрe´сный, interesting

интeрe´снee

полe´зный, useful

полe´знee

(b)

in adjectives whose stem ends in г, д, т, х, or the combination ст, by a consonant change (to ж, ж, ч, шоr щ, respectively) and the addition of - eto the stem thus formed, e.g.

стро´гий, strict

стро´жe

твёрдый, firm

твёржe

богa´тый, rich

богa´чe

сухо´й, dry

су´шe

чи´стый, clean

чи´щe

Note:

жёлтый has жeлтeé.

(c)

in many adjectives ending in -кий, by the consonant change к → ч, and the addition of - eto the stem thus formed, e.g.

гро´мкий, loud