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Self study guide for elementary level learners of Russian
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 Грамматика              The Prepositional Case of Adjectives (Singular and Plural Forms)

 
1. The Prepositional Case of Adjectives
Russian adjectives agree with the noun they modify in gender, number and case. So, if the noun is used in the prepositional case, the adjective must also be in the prepositional case.
  Click the following statements to listen, then read them aloud. 
Nom.

 Это новый дом.

 This is a new house.

Prep.

 Я живу в новом доме.

  I live in a new house.

Nom.

 Это новый фильм.

 This is a new film.
Prep.

 Мы говорим о новом фильме.

  We are talking about the new film.
Nom.

 Это новая песня. 

 This is a new song.

Prep.

 Они говорят о новой песне.

 They are talking about the new song.

 
2.  Formation of the Prepositional Case of Adjectives
The Prepositional case of adjectives is formed from the Nominative case of adjectives. 

Study the formation of the Prepositional case of singular adjectives :

Hard stem adjectives

Nominative -> Prepositional

Soft stem adjectives

Nominative -> Prepositional

Masculine 

новый -> в новом

синий -> в синем

Feminine 

новая -> в новой

синяя -> в синей

Neuter 

новое -> в новом

синее -> в синем

Prepositional Singular endings of adjectives: -ом (-ем) and -ой (-ей)

Notes
  • The regular (hard stem) Prepositional case ending for masculine and neuter adjectives is -ом, for feminine adjectives is -ой. Examples: 
  •                        в новом костюме - in a new suit,

                           о новом платье - about a new dress,

                           о новой рубашке - about a new shirt.

  • The ending for soft stem masculine and neuter adjectives in the Prepositional case is -ем;  for soft stem feminine adjectives is -ей. Examples: 
  •                        в синем костюме - in a blue suit,

                           о синем платье - about a blue dress,

                           о синей рубашке - about  a blue shirt.

  • If an adjective stem ends in a letter mentioned in the 5-letter spelling rule (ж, ш, щ, ч, ц) and the ending is unstressed, then -ом becomes -ем, and -ой becomes -ей respectively. 
  • Examples:

                           в хорошем костюме - in a good suit,

                           о хорошем платье - about a good dress,

                           о хорошей рубашке - about a good shirt.

Study the formation of the Prepositional case of plural adjectives:

Hard stem adjectives

Nominative -> Prepositional

Soft stem adjectives

Nominative -> Prepositional

Plural 

новые -> в новых

синие -> в синих

русские -> о русских

Prepositional Plural endings of adjectives: -ых and -их.

Notes
  • The regular Prepositional case ending for plural adjectives is -ых.  
  • Examples: 

                           в новых костюмах - in new suits,

                           о новых платьях - about new dresses,

                           о новых рубашках - about new shirts.

  • The ending for soft stem plural adjectives is -их.
  •  Examples: 

                           в синих костюмах - in blue suits,

                           о синих платьях - about blue dresses,

                           о синих рубашках - about blue shirts.

  • If an adjective stem ends in a letter mentioned in the 7-letter spelling rule (к, г, х,  ж, ш, щ, ч ), the plural ending is -их Examples:
  •                        в хороших русских словарях - in good Russian dictionaries,

                           о хороших русских книгах - about good Russian books,

                           о хороших русских платьях - about good Russian dresses.

  Click the following statements to listen, then read them aloud. Pay attention to the prepositional plural endings.
Nom.

 Это новые книги.

 These are new books.

Prep.

 Я говорю о новых книгах.

  I'm talking about new books.

Nom.

 Это русские словари.

 These are Russian dictionaries.
Prep.

 Я говорю о русских словарях.

  I'm talking about Russian dictionaries.
 
Exercises  Упражнения
Practice using adjectives in the Prepositional case (singular forms)
Practice using adjectives in the Prepositional case (plural forms)
Practice using adjectives in the Prepositional case (singular and plural)

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