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GrammatikAkkusativ

Alles über den Russischen Akkusativ.

Akkusativ

Hinweis: Die Grammatikartikel sind noch neu und wir arbeiten teilweise noch daran. Zurzeit sind sie nur auf Englisch verfügbar, in circa zwei Monaten dann aber auch in Deutsch.

In Russian the Accusative case answers to кого́? (whom?) and что? (what?) and denotes the person or thing that is directly affected by an action.

When to use the Accusative

Typical use

  • - I am reading an interesting book.
  • - He sees your cat.
  • - She loves this country.
  • - We know one story.

Direction of Motion (where to?)

The Accusative is also used to indicate direction (where someone is going). This is often contrasted with the Prepositional case, which indicates location (where someone already is).

Motion (to where?)Куда́?Accusative - I am going to school
Location (where at?)Где?Prepositional - I am at school
  • - He is going to the store.
  • - She is going to the concert.

We can even have a double Accusative:

  • - I put the vase on the table.

The direct object being moved (ва́за - vase) and where to (на стол - onto the table).

Time duration (How long?)

  • - In a week
  • - A week ago
  • - We worked all day.
  • - She was sick all week.
  • - Please wait for one minute.

Frequency (How often?)

"Every..." requires the Accusative:

  • - Every year
  • - Every Wednesday

"x times per..." requires the Accusative:

  • - Once a week
  • - Twice a month

Specific Points in Time (When?)

Days of the week: Use в + Accusative.

  • - On Monday
  • - On Friday

At a certain time: Use в + Accusative.

  • * - At five o’clock
  • - In this minute
  • Note that the rule about numbers can "win" over other rules, that's why часо́в is Genitive plural here.

Measurements (Price, Distance, Weight)

When answering "How much?" or "How far?", common measurement verbs often trigger the Accusative. сто́ить - to cost

  • * - It costs 1,000 rubles. ве́сить - to weigh

  • * - The watermelon weighs 5kg. проходи́ть - to walk/pass

  • - We walked one mile.

  • In these examples the rule about numbers again wins and dictates the case of the noun. For одну́ ми́лю it doesn't apply because the number 1 is weak and submissive.

Prepositions that govern the Accusative

Note that many of those prepositions can also govern different cases in different meanings, e.g. "в + Prepositional" if denoting a place.

PrepositionExample
Directional Motion (Where to?)
в (во)
to / into
I am going to the park.
на
to / onto
We are going to the sea.
за
behind / beyond
The ball rolled behind the fence.
под
under
The cat jumped under the bed.
че́рез
across / through
We crossed the street.
о / об
against
He hit himself against the corner.
сквозь
through
The light shines through the window.
Time-related
че́рез
in [time]
I will come in an hour.
за
for / in the span of
I did it in a week.
на
for [a period of time]
He left for a month.
в
on [day of week]
On Friday
в
at [time]
At five o’clock
в
at [specific time]
In this minute
Other
про
about
Tell me about your family.
несмотря́ на
despite
Despite the rain, we went for a walk.
включа́я
including
Everyone was there, including the director.
игра́ть в ...
to play ...
To play football.
за
for
He paid for the coffee.

They thank you for the work.

Verbs that govern the Accusative (not full list)

VerbExample
чита́ть / прочита́ть
to read
I am reading a book.
писа́ть / написа́ть
to write
He is writing a letter.
де́лать / сде́лать
to do / make
We are doing the task.
покупа́ть / купи́ть
to buy
She bought bread.
есть / съесть
to eat
I am eating an apple.
пить / вы́пить
To drink
Are you drinking coffee?
ста́вить / поста́вить
to put
She put the kettle on the stove.
знать / узна́ть
to know
I know this city.
ви́деть / уви́деть
to see
I see a friend.
слы́шать / услы́шать
to hear
Do you hear the music?
понима́ть / поня́ть
to understand
I don't understand this word.
по́мнить
to remember
I remember your address.
люби́ть / полюби́ть
to love
I love Moscow.
ненави́деть / возненави́деть
to hate
He hates lies.
встреча́ть / встре́тить
to meet
She met a friend.
ждать / подожда́ть
to wait
I am waiting for the bus.

Things to note

Animacy

Depending on if the object is a living thing (person, animal, plant) or an inanimate thing (book, table, car), they use different forms for the Accusative case.

CategorySub-typeLogicExample sentence with Accusative
Masculine SGInanimateNom - I see a new phone.
AnimateGen - I see a new friend.
Feminine SG-ую / -у - I see a beautiful car.
- I see a beautiful cat.
Neuter SGNom - I see a blue sea.
- I see a cute animal.
PLURAL
(All Genders)		InanimateNom - I see new tables.
AnimateGen - I see new friends.

Remember: Animacy only matters for Masculine Singular and all Plurals. Feminine Singular always changes, and Neuter Singular never changes.

Usage with numbers

Note that the rule about numbers can "win" over other rules:

  • - Two years ago

Here the два is in Accusative but го́да is in Genitive because numbers 2, 3, 4 force Genitive Singular.

But for the number 1, which normally governs Nominative, this doesn't apply because the number 1 is weak and submissive. The noun will stay in Accusative:

  • - We know one story.

Declension Overview

Quick reference for nouns (see full rules and tables)

NounAccusative SingularAccusative Plural (Inanimate)Accusative Plural (Animate)
MasculineInan: No change
Anim: -а / -я
брат → бра́та		Like Nom. Pl.
столы́ → столы́		Like Gen. Pl.
бра́тья → бра́тьев
Feminine-у / -ю
кни́га → кни́гу
неде́ля → неде́лю		Like Nom. Pl.
кни́ги → кни́ги		Like Gen. Pl.
сёстры → сестёр
NeuterNo change
окно́ → окно́		Like Nom. Pl.
о́кна → о́кна		Like Gen. Pl.
живо́тные → живо́тных

Quick reference for adjectives (see full rules and tables)

AdjectiveAccusative SingularAccusative Plural (Inanimate)Accusative Plural (Animate)
MasculineInan: -ый / -ий (Nom)
Anim: -ого / -его (Gen)
но́вого / си́него		Like Nom. Pl.
-ые / -ие		Like Gen. Pl.
-ых / -их
Feminine-ую / -юю
но́вую / си́нюю
Neuter-ое / -ее (Nom)
но́вое / си́нее

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