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Help with Russian grammar! So confused!

So I'm self-studying Russian off a bunch of textbooks, and there is this one bit of grammar that I am getting stuck with, and I need help. It's about the accusative/genitive/nominative cases.

So, to my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong, I learnt this 20 minutes ago):

Я знаю Русский язык. (acc, sing)
Я знаю два языки. (acc, pl)
Question: Or is it Я знаю два языка. (gen, sing)?
Я знаю семь языков. (gen, pl)
Question: Does it have to be the genitive plural here just because of the семь, or is it supposed to be the accusative plural still because that's a transitive verb?

But the textbook said this later on:
Я знаю шестьдесят одно русское (nom, sing) слово (nom, sing).
Question: What is this?! Why is it in the nominative singular, when I thought it would be in the accusative plural? Fine, один should make the next stuff following it singular, but why did the book say 'nom' instead of 'acc'??

Please tell me this is a misprint of the book or something, because I am getting so confused! If someone could clear this up for me I would be most grateful!
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 1
Original post by asparkyn

Я знаю Русский язык. (acc, sing)
Я знаю два языки. (acc, pl)
Question: Or is it Я знаю два языка. (gen, sing)?
Я знаю семь языков. (gen, pl)


Я знаю два языка.


Ответ: учи падежи русского языка.
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B6
Reply 2
Original post by asparkyn
So I'm self-studying Russian off a bunch of textbooks, and there is this one bit of grammar that I am getting stuck with, and I need help. It's about the accusative/genitive/nominative cases.

So, to my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong, I learnt this 20 minutes ago):

Я знаю Русский язык. (acc, sing)
Я знаю два языки. (acc, pl)
Question: Or is it Я знаю два языка. (gen, sing)? Correct.
Я знаю семь языков. (gen, pl)
Question: Does it have to be the genitive plural here just because of the семь, or is it supposed to be the accusative plural still because that's a transitive verb? Because of the семь. The number is in the accusative, but then the noun is in the genitive plural because of the number. With all numbers over 20 look at the final part of the number and it'll tell you the case for the word it's quantifying.

But the textbook said this later on:
Я знаю шестьдесят одно русское (nom, sing) слово (nom, sing).
Question: What is this?! Why is it in the nominative singular, when I thought it would be in the accusative plural? Fine, один should make the next stuff following it singular, but why did the book say 'nom' instead of 'acc'?? Confusing isn't it? :biggrin: It's because of the одно - even if you have a large number like 61, because it ends in a 1 it takes the singular (applies to all numbers except the teens).

Please tell me this is a misprint of the book or something, because I am getting so confused! If someone could clear this up for me I would be most grateful!


Hope that helps, and can I say you're a brave soul for attempting Russian on your own! It's a great language though, hope you keep it up. :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by superwolf
Hope that helps, and can I say you're a brave soul for attempting Russian on your own! It's a great language though, hope you keep it up. :smile:


I'm probably a rather stupid soul for doing it, but I really like the language :colondollar: I understand the deal with the numbers now, thank you very much. I'm just very curious as to why the last sentence was in the nominative case, instead of the accusative case? I mean, is it a misprint?
Reply 4
Could you spell it phonetically? I speak fluent Russian since I am partly Russian, but I can't read or write.
Reply 5
Original post by asparkyn
I'm probably a rather stupid soul for doing it, but I really like the language :colondollar: I understand the deal with the numbers now, thank you very much. I'm just very curious as to why the last sentence was in the nominative case, instead of the accusative case? I mean, is it a misprint?


I love it too. :biggrin: Confusing as hell sometimes, but I still think it's awesome.

Sorry, didn't notice that part of your question before. I think it must be a misprint, cos I'd have thought it was accusative too. However in this case because it's a neuter noun, the nominative and accusative appear identical anyway.
Reply 6
Original post by Inverse
Could you spell it phonetically? I speak fluent Russian since I am partly Russian, but I can't read or write.


Sure thing :smile: I'll transliterate it.

Я знаю Русский язык. (acc, sing)
Ya znayu russkiy yazyk.

Я знаю два языки. (acc, pl) or Я знаю два языка. (gen, sing)?
Ya znayu dva yazyki or Ya znayu dva yazyka?

Я знаю семь языков. (gen, pl)
Ya znayu sem' yazykov.

Question: Does it have to be the genitive plural here just because of the семь, or is it supposed to be the accusative plural still because that's a transitive verb?

But the textbook said this later on:
Я знаю шестьдесят одно русское (nom, sing) слово (nom, sing).
Ya znayu shest'desyat odno russkoe slovo


Thank you so much :smile: I udnerstand that it shold be Ya znayu dva yazyka now though :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by asparkyn
Sure thing :smile: I'll transliterate it.

Я знаю Русский язык. (acc, sing)
Ya znayu russkiy yazyk.

Я знаю два языки. (acc, pl) or Я знаю два языка. (gen, sing)?
Ya znayu dva yazyki or Ya znayu dva yazyka?

Я знаю семь языков. (gen, pl)
Ya znayu sem' yazykov.

Question: Does it have to be the genitive plural here just because of the семь, or is it supposed to be the accusative plural still because that's a transitive verb?

But the textbook said this later on:
Я знаю шестьдесят одно русское (nom, sing) слово (nom, sing).
Ya znayu shest'desyat odno russkoe slovo


Thank you so much :smile: I udnerstand that it shold be Ya znayu dva yazyka now though :smile:


I think "I know seven languages" has to be the genitive plural because of the seven, as you say. Any number 5 and over ends with the "ov".
Reply 8
Just one quick question guys, because I found another part that I'm stumbling with. :colondollar: Well, I guess it's a good thing that I'm finding many things that get me really confused because I can rectify it before moving on.

Well, I understand that adjectives for animate nouns take on a different declension from non-animate adjectives, but I've been reading declension tables, and does this declension apply for adjectives for animate female plural nouns as well?

Okay, that made no sense whatsoever. Imma try to write out a few sentences to clarify what I'm trying to say. Again I'm going to overkill the word znat' because I can't think of anything else :biggrin:

1) Ты знаешь моего нового английского друга?
Ty znaesh' moego novogo angliyskogo druga?

2) Ты знаешь мой новые английские друзьей?
Ty znaesh' moy novye angliyskie druz'ey?

BUT:
3) Я люблю свои новые русские матрёшки. OR Я люблю своих новых русских матрёшки?
Ya lyublyu svoi novye russkie matryoshki OR Ya lyublyu svoikh novykh russkikh matryoshki?

By the way, my transliteration may be a little weird. I'm following official guides but using 'ya' instead of 'ia' :colondollar:
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 9
:bump:
Reply 10
Original post by asparkyn

2) Ты знаешь мой новые английские друзьей?
Ty znaesh' moy novye angliyskie druz'ey?

BUT:
Я люблю своих новых русских матрёшки?

Ya lyublyu svoikh novykh russkikh matryoshki?



Ты знаешь моих новых английских друзей?

Я люблю свои новые русские матрёшки.
Я люблю своих новых русских матрёшек.

ПАДЕЖИ.....
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 11
you take the genetive with animate masculine nouns, any other time it's the accusative I think?!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Reply 12
Original post by Paul PTS
Ты знаешь моих новых английских друзей?

Я люблю свои новые русские матрёшки.
Я люблю своих новых русских матрёшек.

ПАДЕЖИ.....


Spacibo) It makes sense now!!

Original post by Hazbo
you take the genetive with animate masculine nouns, any other time it's the accusative I think?!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


Thank you! :smile: I was just wondering what happened with female animate nouns. It makes sense now!
Именительный падеж: Я люблю что? Я люблю свой новые русские матрешки
Родительный падеж: Я люблю кого? Я люблю своих новых русских матрешок

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