у
- 1.
(possession)
У неё́ есть маши́на.
She has a car.
у + subject in genitive case
- 2.
by, at (place)
Заброни́руй ме́сто у окна́!
Book a window seat!
у + object in genitive case
- 3.
with
Он до́лго жил у роди́телей дру́га.
He was living with his friend's parents.
у + object in genitive case
- 4.
from (take, borrow)
Ма́ша взяла́ это пла́тье у подру́ги.
Masha borrowed this dress from her friend.
у + object in genitive case
Usage info
у окна́ - by the window У Ива́на есть маши́на - Ivan has a car
This last example shows that it is imperative for learners of Russian to know that the construction literally means: ́At/near/on ... Ivan is a caŕ. Otherwise, people who have just the one verb for ́to havé in their native languages (and express possession in an SVO-manner) cańt make head nor tail of this most Russian of ways of expressing possession (́име́ть́ admittedly means ́to havé, but not usually in the literal sense).
Examples
Я реши́л попроси́ть по́мощи у дру́га.
I decided to ask for my friend's help.
Видимо, у твое́й соба́ки действительно депре́ссия.
Your dog may be really depressed.
У него есть джо́кер.
He's got a joker.
Typical usagePRO
Possession (have / don’t have)
у меня́ есть вре́мя
I have time
у меня́ нет вре́мени
I don’t have time
у него́ есть сестра́
He has a sister
у неё есть иде́я
She has an idea
At someone’s place / person
у меня́ до́ма
at my place (at home)
у него́ до́ма
at his place
у врача́
at the doctor’s
у роди́телей
at (my/the) parents’ place
By/at a place or object
у окна́
by the window
у двери́
by the door
у вхо́да
at the entrance
у вы́хода
at the exit
Learn
Contributions
_999 edited usage info 11 months ago.
Дёвьсынъ edited usage info 5 years ago.
Lucian edited word type 7 years ago.
