The Russian Prepositional Case: Endings & Examples
The prepositional is the one case that never appears alone - it always follows a preposition, which is exactly why it is so predictable. It covers location ("where?") and the topic of speech ("about").
What the prepositional case does
The prepositional answers о ком? / о чём? ("about whom/what?") and где? ("where?"). It marks location after в and на - «книга на столе» ("the book is on the table"), «я живу в Москве» ("I live in Moscow") - and the topic of speech after о/об - «мы говорим о погоде» ("we are talking about the weather").
Its name says it all: it only ever exists after a preposition. There are just four: в (in), на (on / at), о/об/обо (about) and при (in the presence of / attached to). That small, fixed set makes it the easiest case to recognize.
When to use it: location vs. motion
Use the prepositional after в and на for a static location - "where?" - and after о/об for the subject you are talking or thinking about. The key contrast is with the accusative: в and на take the prepositional for location («я в школе» - I am at school) but the accusative for motion toward («я иду в школу» - I am going to school).
Use об instead of о before a vowel (об Анне), and обо in a few fixed phrases (обо мне). The preposition при means "in the presence of" or "during the time of": «при царе» (under the tsar), «при мне» (in my presence).
Prepositions that trigger the Prepositional
в / во, на, о / об / обо, при
Prepositional singular endings
Almost everything takes -е: стол -> о столе, книга -> о книге, окно -> об окне. The exceptions take -и: feminine -ь nouns (ночь -> о ночи), nouns in -ия/-ие (армия -> об армии, здание -> о здании), and masculine -ий nouns. A small group of masculine nouns also takes a stressed -у after в/на to show location (в лесу, на полу).
| Gender | Hard stem | Soft stem | Note / example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -е | -е | (о) столе, (о) коне |
| Feminine | -е | -е / -и | -ь nouns and -ия take -и (о ночи, об армии) |
| Neuter | -е | -е / -и | -ие nouns take -и (о здании) |
Example sentences
Книга на столе.
Kniga na stole.
The book is on the table.
Я живу в Москве.
Ya zhivu v Moskve.
I live in Moscow.
Мы говорим о погоде.
My govorim o pogode.
We are talking about the weather.
Он работает в школе.
On rabotayet v shkole.
He works at a school.
Я думаю о тебе.
Ya dumayu o tebe.
I am thinking about you.
Кот спит на диване.
Kot spit na divane.
The cat is sleeping on the sofa.
Мы были в театре.
My byli v teatre.
We were at the theater.
Расскажи о книге.
Rasskazhi o knige.
Tell me about the book.
Practice: which case is it?
Practice: which case is it?
Книга на столе.
Why is «столе» in this case?
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FAQ
When do you use the prepositional case in Russian?
What are the prepositional endings in Russian?
What is the difference between в + prepositional and в + accusative?
Free to start
Lock in location and "about"
The prepositional is the easiest case to spot - and you will use it constantly. Daily Cyrillic drills it in real sentences with audio.
Read the full guide
- Russian Cases: All 6 Explained
The full overview of every case with endings tables and a drill.
- Nominative
The subject; the dictionary form
- Genitive
Possession, "of", absence, quantity
- Accusative
The direct object; motion with в/на
- Dative
The indirect object; "to / for" someone
- Instrumental
"With / by means of"; profession
