What the noun system encodes
A Russian noun form packages lexical identity with number and case; gender and animacy help select the pattern.
- The nominative singular is the form normally used for dictionary headwords: дом, кни́га, окно́, слова́рь. It is not an ending that Russian adds; it is one cell in a larger paradigm.
| Property | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| case | What relation in the sentence? | кни́га as subject |
| number | One or more? | кни́га / кни́ги |
| gender | Which agreement class? | но́вая кни́га |
| animacy | Which accusative pattern? | вижу студе́нта |
| declension | Which ending family? | кни́га → кни́ги |
| stress | Which syllable is prominent? | окно́ → о́кна |
Mini-check
1. Which form would a dictionary list: кни́гу or кни́га? 2. Name two properties that do not disappear when the ending is zero.
Apply this next
- Retrieve the rule without looking, then continue to the next lesson.