у
daily used word (top 100)
- 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
- На фотогра́фии у де́вушки коро́на не из зо́лота, а из цвето́в.The girl in the picture is wearing a crown not of gold but of flowers.
- Мэри вы́глядит не очень дружественно, но у нее до́брое се́рдце.Mary looks unfriendly, but she is really very kind at heart.
- У Ма́йка есть не́сколько друзе́й во Флориде.Mike has a few friends in Florida.
- Соба́ки не уме́ют разгова́ривать, но глаза у пёсика как будто сказа́ли: "Нет, у меня нет дома".Dogs can't speak, but it appeared as if the eyes of the dog said, "No, I don't have a home."
- У него есть "тойота".He has a Toyota.
Learn
Contributions
_999 edited usage info 9 months ago.
Дёвьсынъ edited usage info 4 years ago.
Lucian edited word type 7 years ago.
