Masculine, feminine, neuter
Он and Она also mean it when referring to a masculine and feminine noun respectively. Оно is what you use to refer to a neuter noun.
Где автобус? Where is the bus? Вот он (m.) There it is Где ваза? Where is the vase? Вот она (f) There it is Где радио? Where is the radio? Вот оно (n) There it is
Exercise. Underline the correct answer to each of these questions:
Где вокзал? Вот он/она/оно Где станция? Вот он/она/оно Где трамвай? Вот он/она/оно Где метро? Вот он/она/оно Где школа? Вот он/она/оно Где университет? Вот он/она/оно Где гостиница? Вот он/она/оно Где справочное бюро? Вот он/она/оно Где письмо? Вот он/она/оно Где дерево? Вот он/она/оно Где девушка? Вот он/она/оно Где светофор? Вот он/она/оно
The other way of saying is” here it is” - «здесь»
Где справочное бюро? Он/она/оно здесь Где троллейбус? Он/она/оно здесь Где банк? Он/она/оно здесь If you want to say that it’s not here but over there, you use word «там»
Где аэропорт? Он/она/оно там Где поликлиника? Он/она/оно там Где аптека? Он/она/оно там Где магазин? Он/она/оно там
When a noun is the object in a sentence, in Russian it is put into the Accusative case. The masculine and neuter nouns usually have the same form in the Accusative case as in the Nimonative, but feminine nouns change –а to –у, and –я to -ю:
This video tells you a bit more about the use of nouns in Nominative and Accusative cases:
The word Это can be used with the nouns of all genders when you just introduce them = this is. The word То obeys the same rule but means "that is"
Что это? /What is this? – Это стол (m.)/This is a table – Это книга (f.)/This is a book – Это дерево(n.)/This is a tree.
When you want to convey a bit more information about the specific object (noun) you have to use Этот for masculine, Эта for feminine and Это for neuter = this You can also use words Тот, Та, То which obey the same rule but mean "that".
Этот автобус идет в центр - This bus goes to the city centre Эта книга лежит на полке – This book is on a shelf Это письмо лежит на столе – This letter is on a table
Adjectives agree with the nouns they qualify in gender, case and number. This means that there is a separate form of an adjective to be used with a masculine noun, with a female noun and a neuter noun in the singular. Adjectives answer the question “What sort of?”
Какой? Means what sort of? When it refers to a masculine noun. Какая? Means what sort of? When it refers to a feminine noun. Какое? Means what sort of? When it refers to a neuter noun.
Use of adjectives in singular form
Exercise. Translate in to Russian using the table below that summarizes the rules explained above
-What is this? -This is a book. This book is interesting.
-What is this? -This is a bus? This bus goes to St. Petersburg
-What is this? -This is the letter. This letter is long (длинный).
-What is this? -This is a builder. This builder is working (работает).
-What is this? -This is a tree? This tree is tall (высокий).
- What is this? -This is a street. This street is broad (широкий).
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