The morpheme-first workflow
Н/нн is not one rule: first identify the source and word-formation path.
- Separate non-derived adjectives, noun-derived adjectives, and verb-related forms. Then locate stem-final н, the suffix, prefixes, aspect, dependent words, and lexical exceptions.
- Control point: Never count letters before analysing structure. Identical sounds can belong to different morphemes and rules.
3.20 · The morpheme-first workflow · table 1
| Step | Question | Example |
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| 1 | What is the source? | цена́ → це́нный |
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| 2 | Noun or verb formation? | ко́жа → ко́жаный; реши́ть → решённый |
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| 3 | Which suffix/boundary? | цен-н-ый; кож-ан-ый |
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| 4 | Participle or adjective reading? | жаренная на ма́сле / жа́реная ры́ба |
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| 5 | Is it lexical/exceptional? | ветреный; стекля́нный |
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| 6 | Dictionary check? | rare or disputed formation |
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Stem-final н plus suffix -н-
A noun stem ending in н plus adjective-forming -н- produces written нн.
- Both letters are structurally motivated. Prefixes do not erase the boundary.
- Control point: Not every apparent нн is the same suffix, and not every adjective with one н is derived transparently. Morphemic analysis remains lexical.
3.20 · Stem-final н plus suffix -н- · table 1
| Source | Segmentation | Adjective |
|---|
| длина́ | длин- + -н- | дли́нный |
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| цена́ | цен- + -н- | це́нный |
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| и́стина | истин- + -н- | и́стинный |
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| тума́н | туман- + -н- | тума́нный |
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| дно | без- + дон- + -н- | бездонный |
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| ка́мень | камен- + -н- | ка́менный |
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Suffixes -енн- and -онн-
Noun-derived adjectives with -енн- or -онн- are written with нн.
- These families are frequent in formal and abstract vocabulary. Stress and the exact derivative must still be learned.
- Control point: Remember ве́треный with one н, but безве́тренный and related prefixed forms with нн. Distinguish ветряно́й 'wind-powered/relating to wind'.
- Retrieval checkpoint: Pause and reconstruct the diagnostic forms from the last three lessons without looking, then check what you missed.
3.20 · Suffixes -енн- and -онн- · table 1
| Source | Adjective | Pattern |
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| жизнь | жи́зненный | -енн- |
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| солома́ | соло́менный | -енн- |
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| тради́ция | традицио́нный | -онн- |
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| экску́рсия | экскурсио́нный | -онн- |
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| вре́мя | вре́менный | special -мя family + нн |
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| ве́тер | ве́треный | high-frequency one-н exception |
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One н in -ин-, -ан-, and -ян-
Noun-derived adjectives with -ин-, -ан-, or -ян- normally contain one н.
- The suffix must be identified genuinely; superficial final letters are not enough.
- Control point: The classic three exceptions rhyme as a retrieval set, but their stress and meanings still belong to the whole word.
3.20 · One н in -ин-, -ан-, and -ян- · table 1
| Suffix | Examples | Source |
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| -ин- | гуси́ный, лебеди́ный | гу́сь, ле́бедь |
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| -ан- | ко́жаный, песча́ный | ко́жа, песо́к |
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| -ян- | серебря́ный, гли́няный | серебро́, гли́на |
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| -ян- | масля́ный | ма́сло; relating to oil |
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| exceptions | деревя́нный, оловя́нный, стекля́нный | memorise нн |
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Н/нн in short noun-derived adjectives
Feminine, neuter, and plural short forms preserve the full adjective's one-н or нн spelling.
- Masculine zero forms can separate or reduce adjacent consonants through a fleeting vowel, so compare the full paradigm rather than counting a final cluster mechanically.
- Control point: Do not confuse short adjectives with short passive participles, which normally have one н regardless of full participle нн.
3.20 · Н/нн in short noun-derived adjectives · table 1
| Full | Short forms | Spelling result |
|---|
| ве́треный | ве́трен, ве́трена, ве́трено, ве́трены | one н |
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| це́нный | це́нен, це́нна/ценна́, це́нно, це́нны | нн preserved structurally |
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| дли́нный | дли́нен, длинна́, дли́нно/длинно́, дли́нны/длинны́ | normative stress variants |
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| и́стинный | и́стинен, и́стинна, и́стинно, и́стинны | full source guides spelling |
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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.
- Aspect, prefixes, dependent complements, result interpretation, and lexicalisation converge; no single surface test solves every case.
- Control point: Dependent words are strong evidence only when they express the action's participants or circumstances; ordinary degree/adjective complements do not magically create a participle.
- Retrieval checkpoint: Pause and reconstruct the diagnostic forms from the last three lessons without looking, then check what you missed.
3.20 · Deverbal adjective or participle? · table 1
| Adjectival/property reading | Participial/event reading | Evidence |
|---|
| жа́реная ры́ба | жаренная на ма́сле ры́ба | method label vs explicit action complement |
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| кра́шеный пол | покра́шенный вчера́ пол | established property vs prefixed event |
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| вя́заный ша́рф | свя́занный ба́бушкой ша́рф | product type vs action/agent |
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| ране́ный бое́ц | ране́нный в ру́ку бое́ц | lexical adjective vs specified event |
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Full verb-related forms: one н or нн
Full passive participles normally use нн; several deverbal adjective families use one н.
- Perfective/prefixed derivation, action-dependent words, and -ованн-/-ёванн-/-ированн- strongly support нн, but lexical exceptions require a dictionary.
- Participle checkpoint: Do not rely on a crude 'prefix always means нн' slogan: не- alone does not behave like an ordinary derivational prefix, and established exceptions/lexicalisations exist.
3.20 · Full verb-related forms: one н or нн · table 1
| One н tendency | Нн tendency | Example |
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| nonprefixed imperfective property | prefixed/perfective result | кра́шеный / покра́шенный |
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| food/product label | explicit action complement | жа́реный / жаренный на ма́сле |
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| -ованн- family | normally нн | бало́ванный, организо́ванный |
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| exceptions | dictionary-controlled | ко́ваный, жёваный have one н |
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| participle | full нн | решённая зада́ча |
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Short passive participles versus short adjectives
Short passive participles are written with one н; short adjectives retain the spelling pattern of their adjective lexeme.
- Interpretation and complement structure determine which category is present.
- Control point: An expressed agent or result construction strongly supports the participle; a coordinated quality often supports the adjective.
3.20 · Short passive participles versus short adjectives · table 1
| Full source | Short form | Analysis |
|---|
| зада́ча решена́ учи́телем | решена́ | short passive participle; one н |
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| де́вочка воспи́танна и вежли́ва | воспи́танна | short adjective; нн |
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| де́вочка воспи́тана ба́бушкой | воспи́тана | short participle; one н |
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| лю́ди организо́ванны | организо́ванны | adjective: disciplined/efficient |
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| лю́ди организо́ваны в гру́ппы | организо́ваны | participle: were organised |
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Other suffix decisions: -к-/-ск- and vowel families
Several high-frequency suffix contrasts are partly rule-governed and partly lexical.
- Use diagnostic forms and source structure, then verify consonant changes in an academic spelling dictionary.
- Control point: This diagnostic is not an exhaustive generator. Geographic and ethnonymic derivatives can preserve, drop, or change consonants by lexical rule.
- Retrieval checkpoint: Pause and reconstruct the diagnostic forms from the last three lessons without looking, then check what you missed.
3.20 · Other suffix decisions: -к-/-ск- and vowel families · table 1
| Choice | Diagnostic examples | Guidance |
|---|
| -к- qualitative | ре́зкий — ре́зок; у́зкий — у́зок | short form often available |
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| -к- from к/ч/ц stems | неме́ц → неме́цкий; ткач → тка́цкий | consonant alternation/merger |
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| -ск- relational | францу́зский, матро́сский | no ordinary short quality form |
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| -ев- relative | со́евый, плю́шевый | -ев- variant of -ов- |
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| -ив- qualitative | лени́вый, милости́вый | quality suffix |
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| -лив-/-чив- | забо́тливый, забы́вчивый | always и in suffix |
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Suffix and н/нн assessment
Identify source and category before selecting letters; explain every answer morphologically or lexically.