The Russian Genitive Case: Endings & Examples
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
The Russian genitive case marks possession, absence and quantities. Its question forms are кого? чего? Learn the regular noun endings with the reference table, then compare examples in complete sentences. Prepositions and verb patterns help determine the case, so practise the ending together with the expression that requires it.
Reading time: about 2 min.
- Case
- Genitive
- Question
- кого? чего?
- Reference
- Singular noun endings
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What the genitive case does
The genitive answers кого? / чего? - "of whom?" / "of what?" Its core meaning is possession and the English "of": «книга студента» ("the student's book" / "the book of the student"), «центр города» ("the center of the city").
It also marks absence and negation of existence: «у меня нет времени» ("I have no time") and «здесь нет воды» ("there is no water here") both use the genitive after нет. And it shows quantity: «стакан воды» ("a glass of water"), «много книг» ("many books").
When to use it: prepositions and triggers
Many common prepositions always take the genitive: без (without), у (at / by / "to have"), до (until / up to), от (from), из (out of), с in the sense of "off / from", для (for), около (near), после (after) and вокруг (around).
Beyond prepositions, the genitive follows нет / не было / не будет (absence), numbers and quantity words (два, пять, много, мало, несколько), and dates ("the 5th of May"). When in doubt about "of", absence or amount, the genitive is usually the answer.
Prepositions that trigger the Genitive
без, у, до, от, из, с (со), для, около, после, вокруг
Genitive singular endings
Masculine and neuter nouns take -а (hard) or -я (soft); feminine nouns take -ы (hard) or -и (soft). Remember the spelling rule: after к, г, х, ж, ч, ш, щ you must write -и, so книга becomes книги, not книгы.
| Gender | Hard stem | Soft stem | Note / example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -а | -я | стола, коня |
| Feminine | -ы | -и | after к г х ж ч ш щ use -и (книги) |
| Neuter | -а | -я | окна, моря |
Example sentences
Это книга студента.
Eto kniga studenta.
This is the student's book.
У меня нет времени.
U menya net vremeni.
I have no time.
Стакан воды, пожалуйста.
Stakan vody, pozhaluysta.
A glass of water, please.
Я из России.
Ya iz Rossii.
I am from Russia.
Это подарок для мамы.
Eto podarok dlya mamy.
This is a present for mom.
Около дома есть парк.
Okolo doma yest park.
There is a park near the house.
После работы я отдыхаю.
Posle raboty ya otdykhayu.
After work I relax.
У него нет машины.
U nego net mashiny.
He has no car.
Practice: which case is it?
Practice: which case is it?
У меня нет времени.
Why is «времени» in this case?
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FAQ
When do you use the genitive case in Russian?
What are the genitive endings in Russian?
Why does «нет» take the genitive?
Turn this guide into words you can use
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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
- Accusative
The direct object; motion with в/на
- Dative
The indirect object; "to / for" someone
- Instrumental
"With / by means of"; profession
- Prepositional
Location and topic ("about")