Уро́к 9
9.5 Grammar: Countable vs. Non-countable nouns (Introduction to Genitive Plural)
Люби́мая Грамма́тика
Introduction
What follows is a relatively long grammar instructional video. Take your time with it and pay attention. There is a LOT of information packed within and you will be responsible for it.
The first few minutes of this video are devoted to English language concepts. After that, you are introduced to new Russian and you will compare it to the English. This is a longer video (~20 minutes). The reason it’s longer than usual is because we have to talk about various forms (i.e., spellings) AND concept.
[VIDEO]
Quick reference & recap
1. NON-COUNTABLE NOUNS!
In English and Russian, there are both countable and non-countable nouns. Non-countable nouns, are things, like bread, water, cheese, chocolate, love, etc., to which you can’t easily add -s, or make plural in English. The same concept exists in Russian, although the forms are a little different.
After quantifying words, like много (a lot), мало (a little), сколько? (how much?), non-countable nouns in Russian, will be in the Genitive singular form. You already know these forms. Here are some examples:
| Nominative singular | English equivalent | Мно́го + Genitive singular | English equivalent |
| хлеб | bread | мно́го хле́ба | a lot of bread |
| сыр | cheese | мно́го сыра | a lot of cheese |
| рабо́та | work | мно́го работы | a lot of work |
| молоко́ | milk | мно́го молока́ | a lot of milk |
| шокола́д | chocolate | мно́го шокола́да | a lot of chocolate |
2. COUNTABLE NOUNS!
Things are different for countable nouns in both languages. In English, we usually add -s, like ‘cats’ or ‘houses’. Sometimes we have a completely different word altogether, but we know that it means more than one of something, like the word ‘people’ or ‘mice’. We know this means more than one ‘person’ or more than one ‘mouse’.
In Russian, countable nouns take the Genitive plural after quantifying words много (a lot), мало (a little), сколько? (how much?).
And here’s the rub – there are several possible Genitive plural endings. See below:
GENITIVE PLURAL endings by gender for COUNTABLE NOUNS
(e.g., dogs, cats, houses, things, people)
Masculine
If the noun ends in a hard consonant, add -ов to the stem:
- компью́тер > мно́го компью́теров
- стол > мно́го столо́в
- теа́тр > мно́го теа́тров
- магази́н > мно́го магази́нов
if the noun ends in the hard consonant -ц and the ending is stressed, add -ов:
- оте́ц > мно́го отцо́в
if the noun ends in hard consonant -ц and the ending is unstressed, add -ев:
- ме́сяц > мно́го ме́сяцев
- америка́нец > мно́го америкца́нцев
if the noun ends in -й, drop -й and add -ев:
- музе́й > мно́го музе́ев
- кафете́рий > кафете́риев
If the noun ends in the soft sign -ь, -or- hushers ш, щ, ж, ч, drop -ь, add -ей:
- писа́тель > мно́го писа́телей
- слова́рь > мно́го словаре́й
- эта́ж > мно́го этаже́й
- ключ > мно́го ключе́й
- каранда́ш > мно́го карандаше́й
- плящ > мно́го пляще́й
Neuter
For hard stems, drop the final -о:
- ме́сто > мно́го мест
- сло́во > мно́го слов
For soft stems: add -й:
- море > морей
- поле > полей
if the word ends in -ье, add -в
- платье > платьев
If a consonant cluster* results, add fill vowel**:
- окно́ > мно́го око́н
For nouns ending in -ие, drop -е, add -й
- общежи́тие > мно́го общежи́тий
*For now, just memorize these words on a case-by-case basis.
**Fill vowels are either -о or -е and it is determined in accordance with the general о/е spelling rule.
Feminine
For hard stems, drop the final -a:
- кни́га > мно́го книг
- карти́на > мно́го карти́н
- маши́на > мно́го маши́н
- ла́мпа > мно́го ламп
For soft stems, drop the final -я, add -ь:
- ба́ня > мно́го бань
- неде́ля > мно́го неде́ль
If a consonant cluster* results, add fill vowel**
- ю́бка > мно́го юбок
- су́мка > мно́го сумок
- ча́шка > мно́го чашек
- ру́чка > мно́го ручек
- дере́вня > мно́го деревень
If the noun ends in the soft sign -ь or -ья
- пло́щадь > мно́го площаде́й
- тетра́дь > мно́го тетра́дей
- семья́ > мно́го семе́й
- статья́ > мно́го стате́й
If the noun ends in -ия:
- катего́рия > мно́го катего́рий
*For now, just memorize these words on a case-by-case basis.
**Fill vowels are either -о or -е and it is determined in accordance with the general о/е spelling rule.
