Recognising neuter nouns
Most neuter nouns end in -о, -е, or -ё; several smaller classes require a stored pattern.
- Grammatical gender is a word-class property, not a judgement about the real-world object. окно́ and мо́ре are neuter because of their agreement and declension behaviour.
- Rare item: дитя́ 'child' is neuter and irregular. Everyday plural reference normally uses де́ти, the plural of ребёнок in the modern lexical system.
| Pattern | Examples | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| -о | окно́, сло́во | main hard-stem neuter class |
| -е / -ё | мо́ре, по́ле, ружьё | soft or /j/-related class |
| -ие | зда́ние, зада́ние | special spelling in prepositional singular |
| -мя | вре́мя, и́мя | irregular -мен- stem in oblique forms |
Mini-check
1. Give the agreement frame for окно́: но́вый, но́вая, or но́вое? 2. Which two nouns signal the -мя class?
Apply this next
- Retrieve the rule without looking, then continue to the next lesson.