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.