FORMING THE ACCUSATIVE CASE

In the last lesson, we learned that the main purpose of the accusative case is to identify the direct object of an action.

Remember:

Кого́? – whom? (who?)
Что? - what?

Now let's learn how nouns actually change in the accusative case.

А → У

Feminine nouns ending in -А change -А to -У in the accusative case.

шко́лА → шко́лУ

Это шко́ла. This is a school.

Я люблю́ шко́лу. I love the school.

Я → Ю

Feminine nouns ending in -Я change -Я to -Ю in the accusative case.

исто́риЯ → исто́риЮ

Это исто́рия. This is history.

Я зна́ю исто́рию. I know history.

Ь ending

And finally, feminine nouns ending in -Ь do not change in the accusative.

Сейчас о́сень. It is autumn now.

Я люблю́ о́сень. I love autumn.

Let's practise!

PUT THE NOUNS IN BRACKETS INTO THE ACCUSATIVE CASE

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1. Макси́м слу́шает (му́зыка) ка́ждый день.

2. Студе́нты изуча́ют (литерату́ра).

3. Вампи́ры лю́бят (кровь).

4. Мужчи́ны лю́бят (ба́ня).

5. Он чита́ет (газе́та).

6. Ты пьёшь (со́да)?

7. Вы зна́ете (О́ля)?

8. Никто́ не ест (пи́цца).

9. Ты хорошо́ зна́ешь (грамма́тику)?

10. Мы о́чень лю́бим (ночь).

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Let's summarise!

Now let's move on to masculine, neuter and plural nouns. Here, it is crucial to understand one very important concept...

Animate vs. Inanimate

Animate nouns refer to living beings (humans, including names and professions, and animals), such as: лю́ди, де́ти, мужчи́ны, же́нщины, со́баки, ко́шки

Inanimate nouns refer to objects, places, ideas and things that are NOT alive: стол, дом, докуме́нт, кни́га, вода́, му́зыка, дождь

Why does this matter? Because when it comes to masculine, neuter and plural nouns in the accusative case, animate and inanimate nouns behave differently.

Inanimate Nouns

For masculine, neuter and plural inanimate nouns, the accusative form is exactly the same as the nominative form.

In other words, they do NOT change.

All of the nouns above visually maintain their nominative form, even though cпорт, вино́ and кни́ги are all in accusative case in the sentences above.

Animate Nouns

Masculine and plural nouns that are animate, take the genitive form, when they are in the accusative case.

For example: Я ви́жу студе́нта. I see the student.

So when you are ready, go and learn the genitive case, to fill in this gap for animate nouns. In the mean time, let's practice the accusative case forms.

PUT THE NOUNS IN BRACKETS INTO THE ACCUSATIVE CASE

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1. Малы́ш о́чень лю́бит (па́па).

2. Вы лю́бите (фи́тнес)?

3. Ты зна́ешь (Петя)?

4. Я не ви́жу (слова́рь).

5. Макси́м пьёт (пи́во).

6. Ва́ня не лю́бит (мо́ре).

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That's the basic accusative system!

In the next lesson, we'll look at some other situations where Russian uses the accusative case, not just for direct objects.

Two new endings, a soft sign that never changes and one animate/inanimate split. Let’s check they’ve stuck!

Match the pairs

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• шко́ла
• соба́ка
• исто́рия
• семья́
• крова́ть
• па́па
• Ва́ня
• слова́рь
• мо́ре
• кни́ги

• Ва́ню
• слова́рь
• крова́ть
• мо́ре
• исто́рию
• кни́ги
• семью́
• шко́лу
• па́пу
• соба́ку

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Multiple choice

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1. 1.Шко́ла is feminine and ends in -а. Which form belongs in the gap: Я люблю́ …?

   Aшко́лаBшко́луCшко́лю

2. 2.Исто́рия is feminine and ends in -я. Which form belongs in the gap: Я зна́ю …?

   Aисто́риюBисто́рияCисто́риу

3. 3.Крова́ть, ночь and о́сень are feminine nouns ending in -ь. What happens to them in the accusative?

   AThey change -ь to -у: крова́ту.BThey change -ь to -ю: крова́тю.CNothing changes — the accusative looks exactly like the nominative.

4. 4.Why is it Мы покупа́ем кни́ги, but Я ви́жу студе́нта?

   AКни́ги is inanimate, so it keeps its nominative form, while студе́нта is animate.BКни́ги is plural, and only singular nouns change in the accusative.CКни́ги is feminine, and only masculine nouns change in the accusative.

5. 5.Па́па and Ва́ня are masculine, but they end in -а and -я. What do they do in the accusative?

   ANothing — they are masculine, so they keep their nominative form.BThey follow the feminine pattern: па́пу, Ва́ню.CThey refer to people, so they take the genitive form.

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That’s Урок 2 finished 🎉 Next time we look at the accusative after prepositions and in expressions of time. See you there!