For the first time learning Russian language, many beginners are confused about how to make verb conjugations and noun formulas. Maybe It looks complicated, but if you learn it step by step you will understand it better. After a dative, accusative, and prepositional case, the topic for today is still related to the Russian case. Let’s learn about genitive cases of nouns. To make it clear, let’s check the formula and example below.

The Genitive Case of Russian Nouns Formula

The genitive case is used to show ‘belonging’, or in English, it can be translated as ‘of’. Besides, the genitive case also can be used to show ‘absence’.

Masculine

For the masculine, there are some notes:

• To change the nominative form of masculine noun to genitive, if the noun ending is a consonant, just add –а.

сын -> сына (son)

разговор -> разговора (talk, conversation)

брат -> брата (brother)

воздух -> воздуха (air)

профессор -> профессора (professor)

• If the masculine noun has ending –й, replace it with –я. 

герой  ->  героя (hero)

чай  -> чая (tea)

трамвай  ->  трамвая (trem)

• If the masculine nouns have ending in soft sign –ь, replace it with –я

писатель -> писателя (writer)

камень -> каменя  (stone)

конь -> коня (horse)

Besides masculine, the feminine noun also has a soft ending –ь. Masculine and feminine have different formulas. Therefore, it is necessary to find out whether it is a masculine or feminine noun before making a sentence.

Feminine

• Most feminine nouns have nouns ending –а. Replace it with –ы.

стена -> стены (wall)

квартира -> квартиры (apartment)

школа -> школы (school)

вода -> воды (water)

There is an exception: when the feminine nouns ending in к, г, ж, ш, you should put -и instead of -ы.

книга -> книги (book)

• If the word ending is –я or –ь, replace it with –и

мысль -> мысли (idea, thought)

деятельность  -> деятельности (activity)

семья -> семьи (family)

кровь -> крови (blood)

Neutral

• Change the ending of neutral nouns –o with –a,

плечо -> плечa (shoulder)

небо -> небa (sky)

письмо -> письмa (letter)

дерево -> деревa (tree)

окно -> окнa (window)

• And replace –е with –я.

Море -> моря (sea)

Plural

• If the noun is masculine with ending in a consonant, just add –oв, but if the ending is –й add –ев.

брат ->  братoв

трамвай -> трамваев

• If the noun has eding –ь, just add –ей

Писатель -> Писателей

Деятельность -> деятельностей

• Change the nouns ending –e with –й

поле  -> полй

The plural of a genitive case has an exception, for the ending noun –o, -а, -я.

Окно -> окон

Стая -> стай

Вода -> вод

The example of Genetive Case of Russian Nouns

If the object is a person’s name, put -a for a man’s name and –ы if it is a woman’s name. Just like the formula of masculine and feminine nouns.

• Брат Олега любит музыку.
  (Brat Olega lyubit muzyku)
  Oleg’s brother loves music.

The genitive case also used after the following prepositions, such as без, для, до, из, and из-за.

•  Чай без молока.
  (Chay bez moloka)
  Tea without milk.
• Это друг Ивана.
  (Eto drug Ivana)
  This is a friend of Ivan.
• В этом магазине нет карандаша.
  (V etom magazine net karandasha)
  There is no pencil in this shop.
• Он работает с утра до вечера.
  (On rabotayet s utra do vechera)
  He works from the morning the till evening.

That is the explanation about the genitive case of the Russian noun. Everyone has a reason to learn the language, but maybe you still do not know the reason why Russian language is important and the benefits of learning Russian language. When we speak in Russian, it would be good if at least we have a basic understanding of each case. You can find information the best way to learn Russian for free here.