GrammarPrepositional
Everything about the Russian Prepositional case.
Prepositional
In Russian, the Prepositional Case (предложный падеж) is unique because it can only be used with a preposition. While it is most famous for indicating location, answering the question где? (where?), many common verbs demand this case to express what/who someone is thinking or talking about.
When to use Prepositional
| Context | Example |
|---|---|
| Location (Where?) в, на - in, on | Я живу в Лондоне. - I live in London. Книга лежит на столе. - The book is on the table. |
| About Someone or Something о / об / обо - about | Мы говорим о фильме. - We are talking about the movie. |
| Time (Months and Years) | в январе - in January |
1. Location (Where?)
The most common use is to indicate a static location. When you are at or in a place, you use the prepositional case with в or на.
Preposition: в - in
Used for enclosed spaces, cities, and countries.
- Я живу в Лондоне. - I live in London.
Preposition: на - on/at
Used for surfaces, open spaces, events (concerts, lessons) and specific buildings like на почте (at the post office) or на вокзале (at the station).
- Книга лежит на столе. - The book is on the table.
- Я на работе. - I am at work.
Note that в and на are "dual-case" prepositions. They use the Accusative if there is movement (куда? where to?) and the Prepositional if there is no movement (где? where at?). Я иду в парк. - I am going to the park. (Accusative: movement into the park) Я гуляю в парке. - I am walking in the park. (Prepositional: location in the park)
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| жить / пожи́ть to live | Я живу в Москве. I live in Moscow. |
| рабо́тать / порабо́тать to work | Он работает в офисе / на почте. He works in the office / on the post. |
| учи́ться / вы́учиться to study | Она учится в университете. She studies at the university. |
| находи́ться / найти́сь to be located | Музей находится на этой улице. The museum is on this street. |
| гуля́ть / погуля́ть to walk/stroll | Мы гуляем в парке. We are walking in the park. |
2. About Something or Someone
Use this case when expressing the topic of a thought, speech, or piece of media.
О / ОБ / ОБО - About
О is used before most consonants: о фильме - about the movie.
ОБ is used before vowels: об истории - about history.
ОБО is used before certain clusters or "me": обо мне - about me, обо всём - about everything.
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| ду́мать / поду́мать to think | Я думаю о тебе. I'm thinking about you. |
| говори́ть / сказа́ть to speak/talk | Мы говорим о погоде. We are talking about the weather. |
| мечта́ть / помечта́ть to dream | Он мечтает о машине. He dreams about a car. |
| расска́зывать / рассказа́ть to tell/narrate | Она рассказывает о работе. She is telling about work. |
| вспомина́ть / вспо́мнить to recall | Я часто вспоминаю о лете. I often recall [the] summer. |
| спра́шивать / спроси́ть to ask | Они спрашивают о ценах. They are asking about prices. |
| узнава́ть / узна́ть to find out | Мы узнали об этом вчера. We found out about this yesterday. |
3. Other
Some verbs use the Prepositional case in ways that don't translate directly as "location" or "about."
- Играть на - To play a musical instrument
- Я играю на гитаре. - I play the guitar.
- Ездить на - To travel by a specific mode of transport
- Мы едем на поезде. - We are going by train.
- Нуждаться в - To be in need of
- Они нуждаются в помощи. - They need help.
- Сомневаться в - To doubt
- Я сомневаюсь в этом. - I doubt this.
4. при - In the time/presence of
This preposition is strictly Prepositional. It implies being "near" or "under the conditions of."
- Proximity: школа при посольстве - a school at/attached to the embassy
- Circumstance: при ходьбе - while walking
- Historical: при Петре Первом - under Peter the Great
5. (rare) по - After/Upon
The preposition по is one of the most versatile in Russian and usually uses the Dative case (e.g., walking along the street).
In formal or literary Russian, по + Prepositional means that one event happens immediately after another. It often carries a sense of "upon completion of."
- По приезде - Upon arrival
- По окончании - Upon graduation/finishing
- По возвращении - Upon return
In casual speech, most Russians will just say после (after) + Genitive. You will mostly see this version in official documents, literature, or formal announcements.
Prepositional endings with -у (Locative)
Usually, masculine nouns in the Prepositional case end in -е (e.g., в парке). However, a specific group of common masculine nouns uses a stressed -у (or -ю) ending when used with в or на to indicate location.
Important Rule:
This -у ending only happens when you are talking about where something is (location). If you use the preposition о (about), the ending reverts to the standard -е.
Location: в шкафу - in the cupboard
About: о шкафе - about the cupboard
This is actually a "ghost" of an old Slavic case (the Locative) that merged with the Prepositional case but kept its unique ending for these specific, frequently used words.
Common masculine nouns with -у Ending
| аэропорт Airport | в аэропорту in the airport |
| шкаф Cupboard/Closet | в шкафу in the cupboard |
| сад Garden | в саду in the garden |
| лес Forest | в лесу in the forest |
| мост Bridge | на мосту on the bridge |
| берег Shore/Bank | на берегу on the shore |
| пол Floor | на полу on the floor |
| угол Corner | в углу in the corner |
| Крым Crimea | в Крыму in Crimea |
| год Year | в ... году (e.g., в этом году) in ... year (e.g., in this year) |
| ряд Row | в ряду in the row |
| бой Battle/Fight | в бою in the battle |
Notable phrases to remember
- В прошлом году - Last year
- В этом году - This year
- На краю - On the edge
- На борту - On board (a ship or plane)
Prepositional Case - Declension Overview
Quick reference for nouns full rules and tables
| Noun | Prepositional Singular | Prepositional Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -е / -и* стол → столе́ ге́ний → ге́нии | -ах / -ях столы́ → стола́х учителя́ → учителя́х |
| Feminine | -е / -и* кни́га → кни́ге ночь → но́чи | -ах / -ях кни́ги → кни́гах но́чи → ноча́х |
| Neuter | -е / -и* окно́ → окне́ зда́ние → зда́нии | -ах / -ях о́кна → о́кнах моря́ → моря́х |
- The -и Exception: In the singular, most nouns end in -е. However, three specific groups use -и: Feminine nouns ending in -ь (like ночь → ночи). Nouns ending in -ия (like Россия → России). Nouns ending in -ие or -ий (like здание → здании or гений → гении).
The Locative -у: Some masculine nouns use -у́ when indicating location (e.g., в шкафу́, в лесу́, на мосту́).
Plural Simplicity: Just like Dative (-ам/-ям) and Instrumental (-ами/-ями), the Prepositional plural is very regular with -ах/-ях.
Quick reference for adjectives full rules and tables
| Adjective Type | Prepositional Singular | Prepositional Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -ом / -ем но́вый → но́вом си́ний → си́нем | -ых / -их но́вые → но́вых си́ние → си́них |
| Feminine | -ой / -ей но́вая → но́вой си́няя → си́ней | -ых / -их но́вые → но́вых си́ние → си́них |
| Neuter | -ом / -ем но́вое → но́вом си́нее → си́нем | -ых / -их но́вые → но́вых си́ние → си́них |
The -ом / -ем Trap: A common mistake for students is confusing the Prepositional Adjective ending -ом with the Instrumental Noun ending -ом. С новым столом - With a new table О новом столе - About a new table
Feminine Consistency: For Feminine adjectives, the Genitive, Dative, Instrumental, and Prepositional cases all share the same endings (-ой / -ей).
Plural: Again, the plural ending -ых / -их is universal across all three genders.
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