3.20 · Learn + reference
Orthography I: Suffixes and Н/НН
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3.20 · Learn + reference
Orthography I: Suffixes and Н/НН
A morpheme-first system for denominal and deverbal adjective spelling
A morpheme-first system for denominal and deverbal adjective spelling
Before you start
- Prerequisites
- Module 3.19
- Estimated time
- 45 minutes
- Lesson steps
- 10
Deliberately not taught here
- Boundary: Russian adjective spelling contains lexical and historical residue. Rules narrow the choice; the academic spelling dictionary decides genuine exceptions, rare formations, and uncertain segmentation.
Small steps
What you will learn
- The morpheme-first workflow Н/нн is not one rule: first identify the source and word-formation path.
- Stem-final н plus suffix -н- A noun stem ending in н plus adjective-forming -н- produces written нн.
- Suffixes -енн- and -онн- Noun-derived adjectives with -енн- or -онн- are written with нн.
- One н in -ин-, -ан-, and -ян- Noun-derived adjectives with -ин-, -ан-, or -ян- normally contain one н.
- Н/нн in short noun-derived adjectives Feminine, neuter, and plural short forms preserve the full adjective's one-н or нн spelling.
- Deverbal adjective or participle? Verb-related forms require a syntax-and-meaning diagnosis because adjectives name a conventional property while participles retain an event relation.
- Full verb-related forms: one н or нн Full passive participles normally use нн; several deverbal adjective families use one н.
- Short passive participles versus short adjectives Short passive participles are written with one н; short adjectives retain the spelling pattern of their adjective lexeme.
- Other suffix decisions: -к-/-ск- and vowel families Several high-frequency suffix contrasts are partly rule-governed and partly lexical.
- Suffix and н/нн assessment Identify source and category before selecting letters; explain every answer morphologically or lexically.
Mastery
Ready means you can...
- derive н/нн from the source and suffix rather than visual guesswork
- apply the main denominal rules and their high-frequency exceptions
- distinguish deverbal adjectives from participles for full and short-form spelling
- choose common adjective suffixes such as -к-/-ск- and -ев-/-ив-/-лив-/-чив-