RUSSIAN CASES · ACCUSATIVE

The Russian Accusative Case
(Вини́тельный паде́ж)

Q: What is the difference between в школу and в школе?

В школу is accusative and answers куда? — direction (I'm going to school). В школе is prepositional and answers где? — location (I'm at school).

Q: Which nouns change their ending in the accusative?

Feminine nouns in -а/-я change to -у/-ю (книга → книгу). Inanimate masculine and neuter nouns look the same as the nominative; animate masculine nouns take the genitive form.

The accusative case answers the questions кого́? (whom?) and что? (what?). Its main job is marking the direct object — the thing the action is done to. It also expresses direction with в / на, and appears in many everyday time expressions.

When to Use the Accusative Case

The direct object

Ве́чером я чита́ю кни́ги. — In the evening I read books.
The animate rule: accusative = genitive

For masculine singular animate nouns (people and animals) and for all animate nouns in the plural, the accusative borrows the genitive form. Neuter nouns are inanimate as a rule, but a few, such as живо́тное (animal), are treated as animate.

Мы ви́дели дру́га в па́рке. — We saw a friend in the park.
Direction with в / на

With verbs of motion, в / на + accusative answer куда́? (where to?).

У́тром де́ти иду́т в шко́лу. — In the morning the children go to school.
Time expressions

Days of the week (в суббо́ту), duration (весь день, всю неде́лю), and repetition (ка́ждый день) all use the accusative.

В суббо́ту мы смо́трим фи́льмы. — On Saturday we watch films.
Looking and attention: на + accusative

Common patterns: смотре́ть на (to look at), похо́ж на (to look like, to resemble).

Она́ смо́трит на фотогра́фию. — She is looking at the photograph.
Games and sports: игра́ть в + accusative

Брат лю́бит игра́ть в футбо́л. — My brother likes playing football.

Accusative Case Endings

The animate tag marks where animate nouns take the genitive ending instead of the nominative. Animate forms are shown with студе́нт, учи́тель, учи́тельница, and дочь.

	Masc hard стол	Masc soft слова́рь	Fem (‑а) ко́мната	Fem (‑я/‑ь) пло́щадь	Neuter ме́сто
Nouns — Singular
Sg	стол / студе́нтаanimate	слова́рь / учи́теляanimate	ко́мнату	пло́щадь	ме́сто
Nouns — Plural
Pl inan.	столы́	словари́	ко́мнаты	пло́щади	места́
Pl anim. animate	студе́нтов	учителе́й	учи́тельниц (no ending)	дочере́й	—

Adjectives

	Masculine	Neuter	Feminine	Plural
Hard но́вый	но́вый / огоanimate	но́вое	но́вую	но́вые / ыхanimate
Soft си́ний	си́ний / егоanimate	си́нее	си́нюю	си́ние / ихanimate

Personal Pronouns

я	ты	он / оно́	она́	мы	вы	они́
меня́	тебя́	его́ (него́)	её (неё)	нас	вас	их (них)

FAQ

Why does the accusative sometimes look like the genitive?

Because of the animate rule: masculine singular animate nouns and all animate plurals use the genitive form in the accusative. Я ви́жу стол. (inanimate = nominative form) / Я ви́жу бра́та. (animate = genitive form).

What is the difference between в шко́лу and в шко́ле?

В шко́лу is accusative and answers куда́? — direction (I'm going to school). В шко́ле is prepositional and answers где? — location (I'm at school).

Which nouns change their ending in the accusative?

Feminine nouns in ‑а/‑я change to ‑у/‑ю (кни́га → кни́гу). Inanimate masculine and neuter nouns look the same as the nominative; animate masculine nouns take the genitive form.

The Russian Accusative Case(Вини́тельный паде́ж)

When to Use the Accusative Case

Accusative Case Endings

FAQ

Related Pages

The Russian Accusative Case
(Вини́тельный паде́ж)