Thread: Who's afraid of Russian Nouns...? [me!] Русские существительные........

Oh Robin, this is TRULY insane.
I have read your post five times and I still don't understand it.
Advanced mathematics is simpler for goodness sake.
I honestly don't think I can ever learn this.

It seems like it was complete chance that I got the дом right in my example. It was not because I had understood it right anyway. And someone was mentioning other language skills, well the truth is, my Spanish and French are really bad - and the grammar is a lot simpler for these languages. I can not have serious conversations. I don't count that as languages I really speak. And German, I won't even mention that, it's strictly pidgin style. Basically I am not very good at languages.

I managed to learn English without knowing any grammatical terms and I have reluctantly learnt the basics of grammatical terms, just to study Russian. But this is just too hard.

Virtually any programming language for example, is a breeze compared with Russian.

I used Дома because I thought it was nominative plural!!!
apparently by complete chance, it is the same word in genitive singular (que???)

Originally Posted by Hanna

Virtually any programming language for example, is a breeze compared with Russian.

Did someone call for Captain Obviousity? =))

Originally Posted by Eric C.

Did someone call for Captain Obviousity? =))

Tell me, Eric, what language is native for you if that's not a very big secret?

Hanna,
Does this help?


If number ends in 1 (except for 11) then

No change to the word (дом)
Goto Done

If number ends in 2, 3 or 4 (except for 12, 13, 14) then

Noun is in Genitive Singular (дома)
Goto Done

If number ends all other numbers

Noun is in Genitive Plural (домов)
Goto Done


Done

If it helps we can fill in more details.

Scott

Originally Posted by Hanna

Oh Robin, this is TRULY insane.
I have read your post five times and I still don't understand it.
Advanced mathematics is simpler for goodness sake.
I honestly don't think I can ever learn this.

It seems like it was complete chance that I got the дом right in my example. It was not because I had understood it right anyway. And someone was mentioning other language skills, well the truth is, my Spanish and French are really bad - and the grammar is a lot simpler for these languages. I can not have serious conversations. I don't count that as languages I really speak. And German, I won't even mention that, it's strictly pidgin style. Basically I am not very good at languages.

I managed to learn English without knowing any grammatical terms and I have reluctantly learnt the basics of grammatical terms, just to study Russian. But this is just too hard.

Virtually any programming language for example, is a breeze compared with Russian.

I used Дома because I thought it was nominative plural!!!
apparently by complete chance, it is the same word in genitive singular (que???)

Originally Posted by Hanna

Virtually any programming language for example, is a breeze compared with Russian.

There is one more point in it though. Mostly it will work even without strict following the rules. Severity of legislation is compensated with its avoidability. Typical.

Code:

                              Nouns                    Adjectives

-1 (except 11)                Sn Nom/Acc               Sn Nom/Acc

-2, -3, -4                    Sn Gen                   Pl Gen or
(except -12, -13, -14)                                 Pl Nom/Acc

Rest                          Pl Gen                   Pl Gen

it is the same word in genitive singular

The stress is different: дОма is gen. s. домА is nom. pl.
The ending "a" in nom. pl. of masc. nouns is always stressed.

Hanna - here's more of the "program" from earlier. Does this help?


If number ends in 1 (except for 11) then
___No change to the word
______Example: У меня есть один дом.
______Example: У меня есть один словарь.
______Example: У меня есть один музей.
______Example: У меня есть одна газета.
______Example: У меня есть одна неделя.
______Example: У меня есть одна тетрадь.
______Example: У меня есть одно окно.
______Example: У меня есть одно здание.
___Goto Done

If number ends in 2, 3 or 4 (except for 12, 13, 14) then
___If Noun is in Genitive Singular Masculine - noun ends -а (hard stem) or -я (soft stem –й –я -ь)
______Example: У меня есть два дома
______Example: У меня есть два словаря
___Goto Done

___If Noun is in Genitive Singular Feminine - noun ends -ы (hard stem -а) or -и (soft stem –я -ь)
______Example: У меня есть две газеты.
______Example: У меня есть две недели.
___Goto Done

___If Noun is in Genitive Singular Neuter - noun ends -а (hard stem -о) or -я (soft stem -е)
______Example: У меня есть два окна.
______Example: У меня есть два здания.
___Goto Done

If number ends in all other numbers
___If Noun is in Genitive Plural Masculine –If ends in "ж,ч,ш,щ,ь" then add "ей"
If ends in "й, ц" (stressed) add "ев"
All other masuline nouns end in "ов" ***
______Example: У меня есть пять домов.
______Example: У меня есть пять музеев .
______Example: У меня есть пять словарей .
___Goto Done

___If Noun is in Genitive Plural Feminine (good luck) – (if ends –аthen drop –a / If ends –я(consonant) then changes into -ь/ If ends -я(vowel) then changes into –й/ If ends -ьthen changes into –ей) - Note: If a feminine word ends in a double consonant it is quite common for a vowel (о, е) to be inserted for easy pronunciation. (марка - марок, англичанка - англичанок, девушка - девушек) ***
______Example: У меня есть пять газет.
______Example: У меня есть пять недель.
______Example: У меня есть пять историй.
______Example: У меня есть пять тетрадей.
___Goto Done

___If Noun is in Genitive Plural Neuter – (If ends in "о" then drop "о" (no ending)
If ends in "е" becomes "ей"
If ends in "ие" becomes "ий") ***
______Example: У меня есть пять окон.
______Example: У меня есть пять зданий.
___Goto Done

Done

***from Russian Grammar - Nouns: Genitive Case
MasterRussian explanation of Genitive case: Genitive Case of Russian Nouns




If this helps more details to come.


Scott