Thread: В прошлую среду он купил билеты на поезд! (Help Please!)

Indeed, very complex topic with prepositions...
I noticed how in English often "for" is being used, and was surprised several times, as in "hope on"
Билеты:
на сеанс, на балет, на сегодня, на меня, на автобус... Но: в кино, в театр, в купейный вагон
Поиск/ожидание/...:
счастья, теплохода,... (without prepositions)
Надежда/Планы/...:
на успех, на выздоровление
Любовь/Ненависть/...:
к девушке, к комфорту, к чтению,....

I am afraid there are no rules here, one has to remember by practicing.

Genitive can be tricky. Along with obvious cases it can be used when:

a) the main verb is in negative -> Она не любит шума - She does not like noise
b) the verb refers only to the part of an object -> налить молока - to pour (some) milk
c) after certain verbs - просить, ждать, искать (and some others) -> Я ищу кота - I'm looking for a cat
d) after some verbs, that refer to fear and loss - бояться, лишаться, опасаться, etc. -> Он лишился сна - He lost his sleep

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Genitive can be tricky. Along with obvious cases it can be used when:

a) the main verb is in negative -> Она не любит шума - She does not like noise
b) the verb refers only to the part of an object -> налить молока - to pour (some) milk
c) after certain verbs - просить, ждать, искать (and some others) -> Я ищу кота - I'm looking for a cat
d) after some verbs, that refer to fear and loss - бояться, лишаться, опасаться, etc. -> Он лишился сна - He lost his sleep

e) я жду самолёта

@ShakeyX

We often say "жду самолёт/автобус/электричку", too.

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

e) я жду самолёта

I like the it-ogo's explanation:

Originally Posted by it-ogo

Ждать поезда - какого-нибудь поезда вообще.
Ждать поезд - конкретный поезд.

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

I like the it-ogo's explanation:

I too find it amazing. But for some reason it doesn't work with every word!
Because we just do not say "ждать электрички" (only Accusativ possible)