Lesson 05: Asking Questions; The Prepositional Case

Question 1

Where is the station?

Answer 1

Где воксАл?

Question 2

When is the museum open?

Answer 2

КогдА рабОтает музей?

Lit.: When works museum?

Question 3

Why is the restaurant closed?

Answer 3

ПочемУ ресторАн не рабОтает?

Lit: Why restaurant not works?

Question 4

Is this vodka?

Answer 4

Это вОдка?

Question 5

Straight ahead and turn right.

Answer 5

ПрЯмо и напрАво.

Question 6

They’re in Siberia.

Answer 6

онИ в СибИри.

Question 7

By taxi.

Answer 7

Ha таксИ.

Question 8

When

Answer 8

когдА

Question 9

who

Answer 9

кто

Question 10

Who knows?

Answer 10

Кто знает?

Question 11

Where IS she?

Answer 11

Где же она?

The particle же can be added in questions for emphasis.

Question 12

“Is this vodka?”

“This is vodka.”

Answer 12

«Это водка?»
«Это водка.»

Yes-no questions have the same structure as statements. The question mark and vocal intonation will distinguish these as questions.

Question 13

What are four Russian prepositions which govern the prepositional case?

Answer 13

в = in
на = on
о = about, concerning
при = attached to, in the presence of

Question 14

London

in London

Answer 14

Лондон
В Лондоне

Nouns ending in consonants in the nominative singular add an -e to form the prepositional singular. Those ending in -й, -а or -о change the final vowel to -e.

Question 15

museum

in the museum

Answer 15

музей
в музее

Nouns ending in consonants in the nominative singular add an -e to form the prepositional singular. Those ending in -й, -а or -о change the final vowel to -e.

Question 16

Moscow

in Moscow

Answer 16

Москва
в Москве

Nouns ending in consonants in the nominative singular add an -e to form the prepositional singular. Those ending in -й, -а or -о change the final vowel to -e.

Question 17

letter

in the/a letter

Answer 17

письмО
в письмЕ

Nouns ending in consonants in the nominative singular add an -e to form the prepositional singular. Those ending in -й, -а or -о change the final vowel to -e.

Question 18

Bristol

in Bristol

Answer 18

Бристоль (м)
в Бристоле

Nouns that end in -ь in the ns: to change to the ps, change ь to e if the noun is masculine and to и if the noun is feminine.

Question 19

Siberia

in Siberia

Answer 19

Сибирь (f)
в Сибири

Nouns that end in -ь in the ns: to change to the ps, change ь to e if the noun is masculine and to и if the noun is feminine.

Question 20

tsar

about the tsar

Answer 20

царь (м)
о царе

Nouns that end in -ь in the ns: to change to the ps, change ь to e if the noun is masculine and to и if the noun is feminine.

Question 21

sea

in the sea

Answer 21

мОре
в море

Nouns ending in -e in the ns remain the same in the ps, unless the ending is -ие. In that case, change the final e to a second и.

Question 22

(the) exercise

in the exercise

Answer 22

упражнение
в упражнении

Nouns ending in -e in the ns remain the same in the ps, unless the ending is -ие. In that case, change the final e to a second и.

Question 23

Vania

in Vania’s presence

Answer 23

Ваня
при Ване

Nouns ending in -я in the ns change this vowel to e in the ps, except when the ns word ends in -ия. In that case, change the я to a second и.

Question 24

England

in England

Answer 24

Англия
в Англии

Nouns ending in -я in the ns change this vowel to e in the ps, except when the ns word ends in -ия. In that case, change the я to a second и.

Question 25

Crimea | in Crimea

Answer 25

Крым в КрымУ A few (mostly) short masculine nouns are irregular. They take -y in the ps, but only after в and на.

Question 26

garden/orchard in the garden/orchard

Answer 26

сад в садУ A few (mostly) short masculine nouns are irregular. They take -y in the ps, but only after в and на.

Question 27

the Don River | Rostov-on-Don

Answer 27

Дон РостОв-на-ДонУ A few (mostly) short masculine nouns are irregular. They take -y in the ps, but only after в and на.

Question 28

Klin (town nw of Moscow) | in Klin

Answer 28

Клин в КлинУ A few (mostly) short masculine nouns are irregular. They take -y in the ps, but only after в and на.

Question 29

mother | about mother

Answer 29

мать о мАтери The nouns мать and дочь always add -ер before any ending except in the ns. Notice that the ps ending is what one would expect were the -eр- not there, as the ns ends in -ь and these are feminine.

Question 30

daughter | about daughter

Answer 30

дочь о дОчери The nouns мать and дочь always add -ер before any ending except in the ns. Notice that the ps ending is what one would expect were the -eр- not there, as the ns ends in -ь and these are feminine.

Question 31

what are the forms of the personal pronouns in the prepositional case?

Answer 31

``` мне тебЕ нём, ней, нём нас вас них ```

Question 32

How does Russian express “at?”

Answer 32

Russian uses either в or на depending on the word. Generally, enclosed spaces or buildings use в and open spaces or activities use на.

Question 33

school | at school

Answer 33

шкОла | в школе

Question 34

work (n, begins with р) | at work

Answer 34

рабОта | на раБоте

Question 35

concert | at a concert

Answer 35

концЕрт | на концерте

Question 36

street | on/in the street

Answer 36

улица | на улице

Question 37

square (ie town square) | in/on the square

Answer 37

плОщадь (f) | на площади

Question 38

station (e.g. train station) | in/at the station

Answer 38

воксАл | на воксале

Question 39

She says Vania’s in Siberia.

Answer 39

Она готовит, что Ваня в Сибири. 1. Besides meaning “what,” что can mean “that” when it joins clauses. Unlike English, the conjunction is necessary here. 2. Russian, unlike English, requires a comma in this situation.

Question 40

List three kinds of indeclinable nouns.

Answer 40

1. Nouns with ns endings of -и, -у, and -ю, which are typically borrowed from foreign languages, are neuter, and indeclinable. 2. Feminine names ending in anything except -a, -я or -ь. These are foreign and indeclinable. 3. Foreign words ending in -o. These are neuter, but unlike their Russian counterparts are usually indeclinable.

Question 41

What is odd about the word кофе (coffee)?

Answer 41

A few things. 1. This word is traditionally considered masculine. Almost all other words ending in -e in the ns are neuter. 2. This word is indeclinable. Most other indeclinable words are feminine or neuter.

Question 42

Englishman

Answer 42

англичАнин

Question 43

England

Answer 43

Aнглия (stress on first syllable) This word is sometimes loosely used to refer to Britain as a whole.

Question 44

station/terminal | in the station/terminal

Answer 44

вокзАл | на вокзале

Question 45

over there (pointing)

Answer 45

вон там

Question 46

[particle used to emphasize previous word]

Answer 46

же

Question 47

institute (university-level institution specializing in one area)

Answer 47

инститУт

Question 48

when

Answer 48

когдА

Question 49

coffee

Answer 49

кОфе (m, indeclinable)

Question 50

Crimea | in Crimea

Answer 50

Крым | в КрымУ (irregular)

Question 51

who | about whom

Answer 51

кто | о ком

Question 52

wood/forest | in the forest

Answer 52

лес | в лесУ (irregular)

Question 53

sea

Answer 53

мОре

Question 54

museum

Answer 54

музЕй

Question 55

to the left

Answer 55

налЕво

Question 56

to the right

Answer 56

напрАво

Question 57

number

Answer 57

нОмер

Question 58

about, concerning

Answer 58

o (+ p)

Question 59

about England

Answer 59

об Англии o becomes об before а, и, о, у, э

Question 60

letter (mail)

Answer 60

письмО

Question 61

square (of the city) | in/on the square

Answer 61

плОщадь (f) | на площади

Question 62

post office | at the post office

Answer 62

пОчта | на почте

Question 63

straight ahead

Answer 63

прЯмо

Question 64

garden/orchard | at the garden/orchard

Answer 64

сад | в садУ (irregular)

Question 65

there (opposite of здесь)

Answer 65

там

Question 66

toilet

Answer 66

туалЕт

Question 67

Ukraine | in the Ukraine

Answer 67

УкраИна на Украине (notice the exceptional use of на instead of в)

Question 68

tsar/emperor

Answer 68

царь (m)

Question 69

center

Answer 69

центр