This is a shop.
Э́то магази́ны.
These are shops.
This is a car.
Э́то маши́ны.
These are cars.
This is a window.
Э́то о́кна.
These are windows.
THE NOMINATIVE PLURAL
General rule: Noun endings change according to gender and number. The nominative plural endings are as follows:
-Ы (-И)
студе́нт (the student) – студе́нты
день (the day) дни
-Ы (-И)
ла́мпа (the lamp) – ла́мпы
а́рмия (the army) – а́рмии
но́вость (the piece of news) – но́вости
-А (-Я)
де́ло (the business) 4 дела́
мо́ре (the sea) моря́
Spelling Rules
These are generally to do with phonetics. Certain letters may not follow each other.
- After the consonants Г, К, X and Ж, Ч, Ш, Щ we write -И:
Г | кни́га (the book) | кни́ги |
К | уро́к (the lesson) | уро́ки |
Х | эпо́ха (the epoch) | эпо́хи |
Ж | эта́ж (the floor) | этажи́ |
Ч | врач (the doctor) | врачи́ |
Ш | каранда́ш (the pencil) | карандаши́ |
Щ | плащ (the raincoat) | плащи́ |
- Masculin nouns ending in -Й, feminine nouns ending in -Я and all nouns ending in -Ь have a nominative plural in -И:
трамва́й (m) (the tram) – трамва́и
слова́рь (m) (the dictionary) – словари́
тётя (f) (the aunt) – тёти
тетра́дь (f) (the exercise book) – тетра́ди
IRREGULAR PLURAL FORMS
- Nouns that have a change to the stem:
друг (the friend) – друзья
челове́к (the person) – лю́ди
сын (the son) – сыновья́ etc…
стул (the chair) – сту́лья
цвето́к (the flower) -– цветы́
брат (the brother) – бра́тья
ребёнок (the child) – де́ти
дочь (the daughter) – до́чери
мать (the mother) – ма́тери etc…
де́рево (the tree) – дере́вья
вре́мя (the time) – времена́, и́мя (the first name) – имена́ etc.
я́блоко (the apple) – я́блоки
- Masculine nouns with a stressed -А (-Я) ending in the nominative plural:
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цвет (the colour) – цвета́
учи́тель (the teacher) – учителя́ ве́чер (the evening) – вечера́
дом (the house) – дома́
по́езд (the train) – поезда́
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профе́ссор (the professor) – профессора́
а́дрес (the address) – адреса́
го́род (the town) – города́
па́спорт (the passport) – паспорта́
глаз (fhe eve) – глаза́ etc…
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- As in English, certain nouns have no plural. This includes substances, feelings, etc. (things that cannot be counted):
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ры́ба (fish, the dish)
пи́во (beer)
соль (salt)
хи́мия (chemistry)
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[col type=”one-third”]
молоко́ (milk)
мя́со (meat)
серебро́ (silver)
любо́вь (love)
[/col]
[col type=”one-third last”]
са́хар (sugar)
нефть (oil)
зо́лото (gold)
сча́стье (happiness)
[/col]
- As in English, certain nouns have no singular. This includes words that in some way designate a pair, and certain other nouns:
[col type=”one-third”]
очки́ (glasses)
де́ньги (money)
су́тки (24 hours)
[/col]
[col type=”one-third”]
часы́ (a clock or watch)
духи́ (perfume)
брю́ки (trousers)
[/col]
[col type=”one-third last”]
кани́кулы (the holidays)
но́жницы (scissors)
трусы́ (short trousers, pants)
[/col]
- Certain neuter nouns of foreign origin never change their endings:
метро́ (the metro), ра́дио (the radio), такси́ (the taxi), пальто́ (the coat), меню́ (the menu)