There are two questions that have a similar meaning to asking the place in the Russian language. Those words are где and куда (Where?). Are you familiar with these words? So what’s the difference between где and куда? You can find the answer by reading the explanation and also the example below.

Где

Где is the question we use to refer the location. Asking using this question means you want to know the exact place of the animate or inanimate object. The answer to this question is always followed by the prepositions в and на (in or at) in the prepositional case. You need to remember the formula of this case to find out how to transform the form of the object from nominative to prepositional.

For Example:

• Q: Где ты работаешь?
  (Gde ty rabotayesh’?)
  Where do you work?
• A: Я работаю в библиотеке.
  (Ya rabotayu v biblioteke)
  библиотека (Nominative) –>  библиотеке (Prepositional)

• Q: Где вы мотрите фильмы?
  (gde vy smotrite fil’my?)
  where do you watch movies?
• A: Мы смотрим в онлайн-сервисах
  (My smotrim v onlayn-servisakh)
  we watch at online services.

• А: Где живет ваша семья?
  A gde zhivet vasha sem’ya?
  Where does your family live?
• Q: Они живут в Москве
  Oni zhivut v Moskve
  They live in Moscow

Куда

This question does not ask about location. When we use Куда, it means we want to know about the destination. That’s why the answer is followed by preposition в and на in the accusative case. This word can be translated as ‘to where’. Same as где, there is a formula to change the object of nominative be accusative.

For example:

• Q: Куда ты идешь?
  (kuda ty idesh’?)
  where are you going?
• A:  Я иду в кинотеатр.
  (YA idu v kinoteatr)
  I’m going to the cinema

• Q: Куда вы едете в отпуск?
  Kuda vy yedete v otpusk?
  Where are you going on vacation?
• A: Мы идем в дом бабушки
  (My idem v dom babushki)
  We go to grandma’s house

• Q: Куда она ездила в прошлое воскресенье?
  (Kuda ona yezdila v proshloye voskresen’ye?)
  Where did she go last Sunday?
• A: она ездила в библиотеку
  (ona yezdila v biblioteku)
  She went to the library
  библиотека (Nominative) –>  библиотеку (Accusative)

Those are the explanation of how to use and the difference between где & куда. Because the words of this question are related to the verb of going or move, you need to memorize this kind of verbs. For example:  Идти and Ходить.

After understanding the question about location, you can also learn question about time. Many language learners say that Russian is one of the most difficult languages in the world. But as long as you keep practicing, reading, listening, and memorizing vocabulary as much as you can, it is not impossible to master this language. Good luck!