Russian Declensions (Noun "Families")

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Russian nouns are grouped into 3 declensions based on their gender and Nominative singular endings. Understanding declensions is key to mastering Russian cases.

Declension Overview

Declension Gender Nominative Singular Ending Examples
1st Feminine (mostly) -а/-я мама (mama) - mom, земля (zemlya) - earth
2nd Masculine/Neuter ∅ (zero) / -о/-е стол (stol) - table, окно (okno) - window, море (more) - sea
3rd Feminine only -ь ночь (noch') - night, мышь (mysh') - mouse

How to Tell Which Declension a Noun Belongs To

  1. Look at the Nominative singular (dictionary form):
    • Ends in -а/-я? → 1st declension (мама, дядя).
    • Ends in -о/-е or no ending? → 2nd declension (окно, море, стол).
    • Ends in -ь? → Check gender:
      • Feminine → 3rd declension (ночь).
      • Masculine → 2nd declension (конь (kon') – horse).
  2. Exceptions:
    • Masculine nouns ending in -а/-я (e.g., папа, дядя) → 1st declension.
    • Neuter nouns ending in -мя (e.g., имя (imya) – name) → Irregular (special endings).

Why Does Declension Matter?

Each declension has its own set of endings for cases. Knowing which declension a noun belongs to helps you determine how it changes in different grammatical cases.

Example Declensions