We use demonstrative pronouns to emphasize or point out the specific object. In Russian language, the words that have a function as demonstrative pronouns are Этот, Эта, Это (this), and Тот, Та, То (that). Maybe you have ever heard these words before.
Этот дом (This house) – Тот дом (That house)
Эта книга (This book) – Та книга (That book)
Это письмо (This letter) – То письмо (That letter)
There are some points that you should remember. When you make a sentence using a demonstrative pronoun, don’t forget about Russian cases and the singular/plural forms. The plural form of ‘this’ in the Russian language is Эти, and the plural form for ‘that’ is Те.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS FORMULAS
Этот, Эта, Это, Эти
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th] Masculine[/th] [th] Feminine[/th] [th]Neuter[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td] Этот[/td] [td]Эта[/td] [td]Это[/td] [td]Эти[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Этого[/td] [td]Этой[/td] [td]Этого[/td] [td]Этих[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Этому[/td] [td]Этой[/td] [td]Этому[/td] [td]Этим[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Этого (animate), Этот
(inanimate)[/td] [td]Эту[/td] [td]Это[/td] [td]Этих (animate), Эти
(inanimate) [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Этим[/td] [td]Этой[/td] [td]Этим[/td] [td]Этими[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Этом[/td] [td]Этой[/td] [td]Этом[/td] [td]Этих[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Тот , Та, То
[table]
[tr][th]Case[/th] [th] Masculine[/th] [th] Feminine[/th] [th]Neuter[/th] [th]Plural[/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Nominative[/td] [td]Тот[/td] [td]Та[/td] [td]То[/td] [td]Те[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Genitive[/td] [td]Того[/td] [td]Той[/td] [td]Того[/td] [td]Тех[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Dative[/td] [td]Тому[/td] [td]Той[/td] [td]Тому[/td] [td]Тем[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Accusative[/td] [td]Того (animate), Тот
(inanimate)[/td] [td]Ту[/td] [td]То[/td] [td]Тех (animate), Те
(inanimate) [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Instrumental[/td] [td]Тем[/td] [td]Той[/td] [td]Тем[/td] [td]Теми[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Prepositional[/td] [td]Том[/td] [td]Той[/td] [td]Том[/td] [td]Тех[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Here are some examples of demonstrative pronouns in nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental, prepositional case:
Nominative
- Эта машина дорогой.
(eta mashina dorogoy)
This car is expensive.
- Та книга новый.
(ta knyiga noviy)
That book is new.
Genitive
- У этой девушки есть много друзей.
(u etoy debushki est’ mnogo druzey)
This girl has many friends.
- У той студентка есть мечта.
(u toy studjentka est’ mechta)
That student has a dream.
Dative
- Мне некогда тем заниматься.
(mnye nyekogda tem zanimat’sya)
I don’t have time for those.
- Этому не учат в школе.
(etomu nye uchat ve shkole)
This is not taught at school.
Accusative
- Я видела эту книгу в книждном магазине.
(ya videla etu knyigu ve knyizhdnom magazine)
I saw this book in the bookstore.
- Я пью тот сок.
(ya p’yu tot sok)
I drink that juice.
Instrumental
- Я не знаком с этмм человеком
(ya nye znakom se etim chelovekom)
I do not know this person.
- Мы дружим с теми.
(my druzhim se temi)
We are friends with those (people).
Prepositional
- Владимир живёт в этом доме.
(Vladimir zhivyot ve etom dome)
Vladimir lives in this house.
- Мы будем смотреть фильм в том кинотеатре.
(my budyem smotret’ fil’m ve tom kinoteatre)
We will watch a movie at that cinema.
It will be a little difficult to make sentences using Russian cases and demonstrative pronouns for the first time. So it’s okay to re-learn each formula. Time after time, you will have a better understanding. To enrich your vocabularies, you can visit basic Russian words for beginners and Russian personal pronouns to know better how to use personal pronouns. Keep practicing.