← Russian
Russian • Level 1 • GRAMMAR

accusative inanim sg 2

💡 Grammar Rule

Russian Grammar: Inanimate Accusative Singular

In Russian, the Accusative Case is primarily used for the direct object of a sentence (the thing receiving the action). When dealing with inanimate nouns (objects, concepts, things that aren't alive), the rules for adjectives and pronouns are quite straightforward because many forms look exactly like the Nominative Case.

1. Adjectives

For inanimate objects, Masculine and Neuter adjectives do not change. Only Feminine adjectives take a distinct ending.

  • Masculine: Ends in -ый / -ий (No change).
    Example: новый стол (novyy stol) — new table
  • Feminine: Changes to -ую / -юю.
    Example: новую книгу (novuyu knigu) — new book
  • Neuter: Ends in -ое / -ее (No change).
    Example: новое окно (novoye okno) — new window

Short Adjectives: Generally, short adjectives (weak forms) like готов (gotov) do not change when used with inanimate nouns in this context.

2. Possessives

Possessive pronouns like "my" or "your" follow a similar pattern: Masculine and Neuter stay the same as the Nominative, while Feminine changes.

  • Masculine: мой (moy), твой (tvoy) — мой стол (my table)
  • Feminine: мою (moyu), твою (tvoyu) — мою книгу (my book)
  • Neuter: моё (moyo), твоё (tvoyo) — моё окно (my window)

3. Demonstratives and Determiners

The word это (eto), when used to mean "this is" or "it is," is invariable and does not change regardless of the gender or case of the noun following it.

The word for "all" or "whole" (весь), however, does change to agree with the noun:

  • Masculine: весь (ves’) — весь стол (the whole table)
  • Feminine: всю (vsyu) — всю книгу (the whole book)
  • Neuter: всё (vsyo) — всё окно (the whole window)

4. Question Words and Personal Pronouns

When asking "what" (for inanimate objects), we use что (chto). It remains что in the Accusative. This contrasts with кто (kto) for "who," which changes to кого (kogo).

Personal pronouns always change in the Accusative, regardless of whether they refer to people or things:

  • я (ya) → меня (menya) — me
  • ты (ty) → тебя (tebya) — you
  • он (on) → его (yego) — him / it
  • она (ona) → её (yeyo) — her / it

Summary: For inanimate objects, remember that Masculine and Neuter are your friends—they usually stay the same as the Nominative. Focus your attention on the Feminine, which almost always changes its ending!

This is a new desk.
Это новый стол.
Eto novyy stol.
He sees a new desk.
Он видит новый стол.
On vidit novyy stol.
This is a new lamp.
Это новая лампа.
Eto novaya lampa.
She buys a new lamp.
Она покупает новую лампу.
Ona pokupayet novuyu lampu.
This is a fast car.
Это быстрая машина.
Eto bystraya mashina.
The man drives a fast car.
Мужчина водит быструю машину.
Muzhchina vodit bystruyu mashinu.
This is my phone.
Это мой телефон.
Eto moy telefon.
Boris takes my phone.
Борис берёт мой телефон.
Boris beryot moy telefon.
This is my room.
Это моя комната.
Eto moya komnata.
Anna cleans my room.
Анна убирает мою комнату.
Anna ubirayet moyu komnatu.
This is my coffee.
Это мой кофе.
Eto moy kofe.
He drinks my coffee.
Он пьёт мой кофе.
On pyot moy kofe.
This is the whole week.
Это вся неделя.
Eto vsya nedelya.
She waits the whole week.
Она ждёт всю неделю.
Ona zhdyot vsyu nedelyu.
This is the whole day.
Это весь день.
Eto ves’ den’.
He works the whole day.
Он работает весь день.
On rabotayet ves’ den’.
This is all the wine.
Это всё вино.
Eto vsyo vino.
The guest drinks all the wine.
Гость пьёт всё вино.
Gost’ pyot vsyo vino.
This is a tasty pizza.
Это вкусная пицца.
Eto vkusnaya pitsa.
Elena eats a tasty pizza.
Елена ест вкусную пиццу.
Yelena yest vkusnuyu pittsu.
This is tasty bread.
Это вкусный хлеб.
Eto vkusnyy khleb.
Ivan eats tasty bread.
Иван ест вкусный хлеб.
Ivan yest vkusnyy khleb.
This is a red apple.
Это красное яблоко.
Eto krasnoye yabloko.
The child eats a red apple.
Ребёнок ест красное яблоко.
Rebyonok yest krasnoye yabloko.
This is your bag.
Это твоя сумка.
Eto tvoya sumka.
She carries your bag.
Она несёт твою сумку.
Ona nesyot tvoyu sumku.
This is your book.
Это твоя книга.
Eto tvoya kniga.
He reads your book.
Он читает твою книгу.
On chitayet tvoyu knigu.
This is an old newspaper.
Это старая газета.
Eto staraya gazeta.
Maxim reads the old newspaper.
Максим читает старую газету.
Maksim chitayet staruyu gazetu.
This is an old building.
Это старое здание.
Eto staroye zdaniye.
They see an old building.
Они видят старое здание.
Oni vidyat staroye zdaniye.
This is a cold tea.
Это холодный чай.
Eto kholodnyy chay.
Dmitry drinks a cold tea.
Дмитрий пьёт холодный чай.
Dmitriy pyot kholodnyy chay.
This is a cold water.
Это холодная вода.
Eto kholodnaya voda.
Maria drinks a cold water.
Мария пьёт холодную воду.
Mariya pyot kholodnuyu vodu.
This is a blue jacket.
Это синяя куртка.
Eto sinyaya kurtka.
She is wearing a blue jacket.
Она носит синюю куртку.
Ona nosit sinyuyu kurtku.
This is a blue suit.
Это синий костюм.
Eto siniy kostyum.
He is wearing a blue suit.
Он носит синий костюм.
On nosit siniy kostyum.
Where is the bag?
Где сумка?
Gde sumka?
She carries it.
Она несёт её.
Ona nesyot yeyo.
Where is the phone?
Где телефон?
Gde telefon?
He is looking for it.
Он ищет его.
On ishchet yego.

Ready to reach fluency in Russian? Download drillify for Android. Master the language with rigorous audio drills and unlock all lessons.

Download drillify
Open Play Store