Relational Adjectives — Russian Grammar

English often puts one noun before another to describe it: bus stop, railway station, birthday party. Russian rarely does this. Instead, it turns the describing noun into an adjective, called a relational adjective, which then agrees with the main noun like any other adjective.

Formation

The usual suffix is -н-, added to the stem of the noun, sometimes with a consonant change.

(avtóbus) - (avtóbusnyyavtóbusnyj): bus
(zimá) - (zímniyzímnij): winter
(golová) - (golovnóygolovnój): head
(zheléznaya dorógaželéznaja doróga) - (zheleznodorózhnyyželeznodoróžnyj): railway

Авто́бусы прибыва́ют на авто́бусную остано́вку.
Avtóbusy pribyváyut na avtóbusnuyu ostanóvku.Avtóbusy pribyvájut na avtóbusnuju ostanóvku.
The buses arrive at the bus stop.
Рестора́н нахо́дится над железнодоро́жным вокза́лом.
Restorán nakhóditsya nad zheleznodorózhnym vokzálom.Restorán naxóditsja nad železnodoróžnym vokzálom.
The restaurant is above the railway station.
Я дам тебе́ аспири́н от головно́й бо́ли.
Ya dam tebé aspirín ot golovnóy bóli.Ja dam tebé aspirín ot golovnój bóli.
I'll give you aspirin for the headache.

The Suffix -ск-

Adjectives of nationality and place, and many others, use -ск-.

(RossíyaRossíja) - (rússkiyrússkij)
(IspániyaIspánija) - (ispánskiyispánskij)
(górod) - (gorodskóygorodskój)

Ей нра́вится испа́нская еда́.
Yey nrávitsya ispánskaya yedá.Jej nrávitsja ispánskaja jedá.
She likes Spanish food.

Materials

Materials are expressed the same way: (zóloto) (gold) gives (zolotóyzolotój) (golden, made of gold).

Мне ну́жно золото́е ожере́лье.
Mne núzhno zolotóye ozherél'ye.Mne núžno zolotóje ožerélʹje.
I need a gold necklace.
Э́то деревя́нный стол.
Éto derevyánnyy stol.Éto derevjánnyj stol.
It's a wooden table.

Where English Uses a Noun

Many everyday expressions that are two nouns in English are adjective + noun in Russian.

Мне ну́жно води́тельское удостовере́ние.
Mne núzhno vodítel'skoye udostoveréniye.Mne núžno vodítelʹskoje udostoverénije.
I need a driver's license.
Где ближа́йшая ста́нция метро́?
Gde blizháyshaya stántsiya metró?Gde bližájšaja stáncija metró?
Where is the nearest metro station?

A relational adjective has no short form and no comparative: it classifies the noun rather than describing a quality that can vary.

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