Singular and plural nouns – Russian grammar

Э́то магази́н. This is a shop. Э́то магази́ны. These are shops.
Э́то маши́на. This is a car. Э́то маши́ны. These are cars.
Э́то окно́. 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:
masculine-Ы (-И)студе́нт (the student) – студе́нты день (the day) дни
feminine-Ы (-И)ла́мпа (the lamp) – ла́мпы а́рмия (the army) – а́рмии но́вость (the piece of news) – но́вости
neuter-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:
Гкни́га (the book)кни́ги
Куро́к (the lesson)уро́ки
Хэпо́ха (the epoch)эпо́хи
Жэта́ж (the floor)этажи́
Чврач (the doctor)врачи́
Шкаранда́ш (the pencil)карандаши́
Щплащ (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:
Masculine 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
Feminine дочь (the daughter) – до́чери мать (the mother) – ма́тери etc…
Neuter 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:
[col type=”half”]цвет (the colour) – цвета́ учи́тель (the teacher) – учителя́ ве́чер (the evening)  – вечера́ дом (the house) – дома́ по́езд (the train) – поезда́[/col][col type=”half last”]профе́ссор (the professor) – профессора́ а́дрес (the address) – адреса́ го́род (the town) – города́ па́спорт (the passport) – паспорта́ глаз (fhe eve) – глаза́ etc…[/col]
  • As in English, certain nouns have no plural. This includes substances, feelings, etc. (things that cannot be counted):
[col type=”one-third”]ры́ба (fish, the dish) пи́во (beer) соль (salt) хи́мия (chemistry)[/col][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)