Personal Pronouns — Russian Grammar

Russian personal pronouns change their form for case, just like nouns. Several of the forms look quite different from the nominative and need to be learned as a set.

The Nominative

я - I
(ty) - you (one person you know well)
(on), (oná), (onó) - he, she, it
(my) - we
(vy) - you (several people, or polite)
(oní) - they

Russian has no separate word for it. Things are (on), (oná) or (onó) according to the gender of the noun.

Моя́ кни́га там. Она́ интере́сная.
Moyá kníga tam. Oná interésnaya.Mojá kníga tam. Oná interésnaja.
My book is over there. It's interesting.
Такси́ ждёт. Оно́ жёлтое.
Taksí zhdyot. Onó zhóltoye.Taksí ždjot. Onó žóltoje.
The taxi is waiting. It's yellow.

The Other Cases

Accusative / Genitive: (menyámenjá), (tebyátebjá), (yegójegó), (yeyójejó), (nas), (vas), (ikhix)
Dative: (mne), (tebé), (yemújemú), (yeyjej), (nam), (vam), (im)
Instrumental: (mnoymnoj), (tobóytobój), (im), (yeyjej), (námi), (vámi), (ími)
Prepositional: (mne), (tebé), (nyomnjom), (neynej), (nas), (vas), (nikhnix)

Ты ви́дишь меня́?
Ty vídish' menyá?Ty vídišʹ menjá?
Do you see me?
Я люблю́ их, и они́ лю́бят меня́.
Ya lyublyú ikh, i oní lyúbyat menyá.Ja ljubljú ix, i oní ljúbjat menjá.
I love them, and they love me.
Ему́ хо́лодно. Ей жа́рко.
Yemú khólodno. Yey zhárko.Jemú xólodno. Jej žárko.
He is cold. She is hot.
Потанцу́йте с на́ми.
Potantsúyte s námi.Potancújte s námi.
Dance with us.

The н- After Prepositions

After a preposition, the third-person pronouns take an extra н- at the start.

(yegójegó) - (u negó)
(yeyjej) - (s neys nej)
(im) - (k nim)

У него́ есть маши́на.
U negó yest' mashína.U negó jestʹ mašína.
He has a car.
Я ду́маю о нём.
Ya dúmayu o nyom.Ja dúmaju o njom.
I'm thinking about him.

Leaving Out the Pronoun

Because the verb ending already shows the person, subject pronouns can be left out, especially in replies and in a series of sentences about the same subject.

Не могу́ дожда́ться.
Ne mogú dozhdát'sya.Ne mogú doždátʹsja.
I can't wait.

Word Order

Object pronouns usually come before the verb.

Я тебя́ люблю́.
Ya tebyá lyublyú.Ja tebjá ljubljú.
I love you.
Ско́ро уви́димся.
Skóro uvídimsya.Skóro uvídimsja.
See you soon.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

319 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Personal Pronouns” is about in bold:

Это моя подруга, Анна. Она студентка.
Éto moyá podrúga, Ánna. Oná studéntka.Éto mojá podrúga, Ánna. Oná studéntka.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student.
Lesson 2
Он тоже спит. А она нет.
On tózhe spit. A oná net.On tóže spit. A oná net.
He is also sleeping. She isn't.
Lesson 16
Я люблю их, и они любят меня.
Ya lyublyú ikh, i oní lyúbyat menyá.Ja ljubljú ix, i oní ljúbjat menjá.
I love them and they love me.
Lesson 32

Comments

Loading comments…