Thread: Grammar Rules

Is there a grammatical rule for when Й is used instead of И?

Originally Posted by JohnT

Is there a grammatical rule for when Й is used instead of И?

This is quite a general question. It's more to do with spelling.

И is a vowel, and Й is sort of a consonant. Technically it's not a vowel.

И is like English feet whereas Й is like english boy, play, yes.

Both letters are used in certain declensions. This is a hard question to answer. Both have their own uses.

If you mean does И ever mutate into Й or vice versa, then yes.
Most notably, with prefrixed forms of the verb идти (to go on foot).
When the verb is prefixed the и changes to й and the д drops out.
Thus По + итди = пойти - to set off
До + идти = Дойти - to go up to
При + идти = Прийти - to arrive
Со + идти = Сойти - to go off
Во + идти = Войти - to go in (enter)
Вы + идти = Выйти - to go out (exit)

But there isn't really a general rule. They are different letters used in different places.


I (И) changes to Й more often in Ukrainian though.

Thanks for help. I was actually wondering if it was like in englich when the letter Q is always followed by the letter U. But it is obviously more complex the way it is used.

I guess i will get used to it once i have learnt more!

John

Originally Posted by JohnT

Thanks for help. I was actually wondering if it was like in englich when the letter Q is always followed by the letter U. But it is obviously more complex the way it is used.

I guess i will get used to it once i have learnt more!

John

Despite looking the same, it's best to think of them as different letters.

There are spelling rules 8 , 5 and 7 letter rules, but they have to do with и and ы and е and о. a and ya

http://www.pitt.edu/~slavic/sli/russian/1/spelling.html

Here they are.

These arwen't to do with Й though.

There are rules when И is used instead of Ы.

Beginner could easily have confused the two letters. Besides its a lot of help, as it is one of the most basic rules of spelling that he will have to learn.

One rule exists: Never use й after the letters ху

And what about "застрахуйте" or "застрахуй"?
"Застрахуйте вашу машину" for an instance.

How about здравствуй(те) ?

It does not contain "й" after "ху".
I don't know any words which contain the combination mentioned above except the words derived from "страховать".

Сразу вспоминается анекдот (сорри если излагаю неточно):
Звери в лесу встречают зайца, вернувшегося из Китая:
- Привет, заяц!
- Я не заяц, я зуй!
- Почему это?
- А у них в Китае всех так называют: вот ты, волк, будешь "вуй"; ты, лиса - "луй".
Хорёк говорит: "Не, я в Китай не поеду!!!".

Originally Posted by pisces

Сразу вспоминается анекдот (сорри если излагаю неточно):
Звери в лесу встречают зайца, вернувшегося из Китая:
- Привет, заяц!
- Я не заяц, я зуй!
- Почему это?
- А у них в Китае всех так называют: вот ты, волк, будешь "вуй"; ты, лиса - "луй".
Хорёк говорит: "Не, я в Китай не поеду!!!".

Originally Posted by Старик

How about здравствуй(те) ?

Starik, stop proving the stereotype of Germans not having a sense of humour :P

Originally Posted by pisces

Хорёк говорит: "Не, я в Китай не поеду!!!".

Originally Posted by pisces

And what about "застрахуйте" or "застрахуй"?

I guess you fount the exception to proves the rule!

I think a question about й/и may be applied to such cases as
настроение - настроенье
падение - паденье
because actually they are [-ие/-йе] after the last н. Many of these contractions belong to the spoken speech, while some of them are the norm now, like веселье, and веселие is an archaic word.

Originally Posted by pisces

I don't know any words which contain the combination mentioned above except the words derived from "страховать".

"не психуй"

Originally Posted by pisces

Сразу вспоминается анекдот (сорри если излагаю неточно):
Звери в лесу встречают зайца, вернувшегося из Китая:
- Привет, заяц!
- Я не заяц, я зуй!
- Почему это?
- А у них в Китае всех так называют: вот ты, волк, будешь "вуй"; ты, лиса - "луй".
Хорёк говорит: "Не, я в Китай не поеду!!!".

I read a similar joke in English or even in French. Only there the main characters were three Chinese men who decided to go to America and Americanize their names: one became Buck, another became Chuck and the rest you can guess.