PREPOSITIONAL CASE: INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, we will cover the main purpose of the prepositional case, look at the prepositions commonly used with it, and learn how masculine nouns change in this case.
Step 1 of 4: Prepositional Case
Prepositional Case
In this lesson, we will cover the main purpose of the prepositional case, look at the prepositions commonly used with it, and learn how masculine nouns change in this case.
Где?
One of the main functions of the prepositional case is answering a big, and sometimes even philosophical, question: "Где?" (Where?) We use it to talk about where something or someone is located, like...
Где моя́ су́мка?
Where is my bag?
Где метро́?
Where is the underground?
Or a very common message you might get when you are about to meet a friend:
Ты где?
Where are you?
We can also use it to ask where action takes place (right now or in general), like where someone lives, works, studies, eats, and so on. For example:
Где ты рабо́таешь?
Where do you work?
Где живёт твоя́ ма́ма?
Where does your mom live?
Где ты сего́дня обе́даешь?
Where are you having lunch today?
When answering the question Где?, the noun describing the location usually takes the prepositional case.
Я живу́ в Ло́ндоне.
I live in London.
Мы рабо́таем в о́фисе.
We work in an office.
В до́ме пожа́р.
There is a fire in the house.
This is the prepositional case in action!
Preposition В
There are four common prepositions associated with the prepositional case: в, на, о and при. In this lesson, we'll focus on в, which often means “in” or “at” when talking about location.
If you've already studied the accusative case or verbs of motion, you may remember that в and на can be used with different cases. The important thing is to understand the difference between location and direction.
Compare:
Я в шко́ле. I'm at school.
Я иду́ в шко́лу. I'm going to school.
In the first sentence, we're describing where someone is, so we use the prepositional case.
In the second sentence, we're describing movement towards a destination, so we use the accusative case.
Masculine Nouns
Now that you know the main purpose of the prepositional case and the preposition we're focusing on, let's look at how masculine nouns change.
The good news is that the most common ending in the prepositional case is -е.
Let's break it down step by step!
банкa bank
рестора́нa restaurant
магази́нa shop
If the masculine noun ends in a consonant, then you add Е to the ending to form the prepositional case.
банк → в ба́нкЕ
рестора́н → в рестора́нЕ
магази́н → в магази́нЕ
музе́йa museum
оте́льa hotel
However, masculine nouns ending in -Й, change -Й to Е in the prepositional case.
музе́й → в музе́Е
Masculine nouns ending in -Ь, also change -Ь to Е in the prepositional case.
оте́ль → в оте́лЕ
Now, let's practice!
PUT THE NOUNS IN BRACKETS INTO THE PREPOSITIONAL CASE
Я рабо́таю в (теа́тр).
Па́па сейча́с в (Пари́ж).
Они́ лю́бят отдыха́ть в (Кита́й).
В (слова́рь) есть слова́.
Мы пла́ваем в (бассе́йн).
Вы у́жинаете в (отель).
Ты живёшь в (Рим)?
Студе́нты сего́дня в (музе́й).
В (Ло́ндон) есть рестора́ны и магази́ны.
Great job! In the next lesson, we'll look at how feminine and neuter nouns change in the prepositional case.