The Russian Prepositional Case: Endings & Examples
By Daily Cyrillic · Updated
The Russian prepositional case marks location and topics after certain prepositions. Its question forms are о ком? о чём? 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
- Prepositional
- Question
- о ком? о чём?
- Reference
- Singular noun endings
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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?
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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
- 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