The genitive plural is undoubtedly the most complex case in Russian grammar. Unlike other plural cases that follow fairly simple rules, the genitive plural presents many variations in endings and frequent exceptions. However, it is also one of the most used cases in everyday speech.

You will use the genitive plural constantly to express quantities (мно́го студе́нтов — many students), absences (нет книг — there are no books), after numbers from 5 onwards (пять друзе́й — five friends), and after many common prepositions. Mastering it is therefore essential for reaching B1 level.

This guide presents all the genitive plural endings, first for nouns, then for adjectives and pronouns, with many examples and practical exercises. Before that, you can also review the endings and uses of the genitive singular.

Main uses of the genitive plural 🔗

Before studying the forms, it is important to understand when to use the genitive plural. Here are its main uses:

1. After expressions of quantity 🔗

The genitive plural is systematically used after words expressing a quantity:

• мно́го студе́нтов (many students)
• ма́ло книг (few books)
• не́сколько друзе́й (a few friends)
• ско́лько часо́в? (how many hours?)
• нема́ло пробле́м (quite a few problems)
• сто́лько люде́й (so many people)

2. To express absence 🔗

With the negation нет (there is no), the genitive plural expresses the absence of several objects or people:

• Здесь нет студе́нтов (There are no students here)
• У меня́ нет друзе́й (I have no friends)
• В магази́не нет я́блок (There are no apples in the store)
• Сего́дня нет уроко́в (There are no classes today)

3. After certain prepositions 🔗

Many common prepositions govern the genitive:

• из (from, out of): из го́родов (from the cities)
• от (from, from): от друзе́й (from friends)
• до (until, up to): до о́кон (up to the windows)
• о́коло (near, around): о́коло домо́в (near the houses)
• без (without): без книг (without books)
• для (for): для студе́нтов (for students)
• среди́ (among): среди́ люде́й (among people)
• ра́ди (for the sake of): ра́ди дете́й (for the children)

4. With numbers from 5 onwards 🔗

All numbers from 5 and above require the genitive plural:

• пять студе́нтов (five students)
• де́сять книг (ten books)
• два́дцать пять друзе́й (twenty-five friends)
• сто рубле́й (one hundred rubles)

Note: numbers 2, 3, 4 take the genitive singular, not the plural!

Genitive plural of nouns: all the endings 🔗

The genitive plural of nouns presents a wide variety of endings depending on gender and stem type. Let’s proceed methodically.

Masculine nouns 🔗

Hard-stem masculines: ending -ов 🔗

The majority of masculine nouns ending in a hard consonant take the ending -ов:

• стол (table) → столо́в
• студе́нт (student) → студе́нтов
• журна́л (magazine) → журна́лов
• докуме́нт (document) → докуме́нтов
• компью́тер (computer) → компью́теров
• профе́ссор (professor) → профессоро́в
• го́род (city) → городо́в

Masculines after sibilants: -ей or -о́в 🔗

After ж, ч, ш, щ, the ending depends on stress:

• If unstressed: -ей

  • врач (doctor) → враче́й
  • каранда́ш (pencil) → карандаше́й
  • мяч (ball) → мяче́й
  • това́рищ (comrade) → това́рищей

• If stressed: -о́в

  • отéц (father) → отцо́в
  • плащ (raincoat) → плащо́в

After ц, -ев is generally used:

• ме́сяц (month) → ме́сяцев

In the case of оте́ц (father), the vowel е is mobile. When declining this noun to the genitive plural by adding the stressed ending -о́в, the stem’s thematic vowel disappears to smooth the transition to the stressed ending, giving отцо́в. This structural modification is systematic for many masculine nouns where the stress moves toward the ending.

Soft-stem masculines: ending -ей 🔗

Masculine nouns ending in -ь or -й take the ending -ей:

• учи́тель (teacher) → учителе́й
• слова́рь (dictionary) → словаре́й
• музе́й (museum) → музе́ев
• геро́й (hero) → геро́ев
• трамва́й (tram) → трамва́ев
• край (region) → краёв
• рубль (ruble) → рубле́й

Important exceptions for masculines 🔗

Some very common nouns have an irregular genitive plural that must be memorized:

• сосе́д (neighbor) → сосе́дей
• друг (friend) → друзе́й
• брат (brother) → бра́тьев
• сын (son) → сынове́й
• стул (chair) → сту́льев
• лист (sheet of paper) → листо́в
• челове́к (person) → люде́й
• ребёнок (child) → дете́й
• глаз (eye) → глаз (zero form!)
• раз (time) → раз (zero form!)

Feminine nouns 🔗

The genitive plural of feminine nouns is particularly complex because it often presents a zero form — that is, the ending disappears completely.

Feminines ending in -а: zero form (ending disappears) 🔗

For most feminines ending in -а, the ending is simply removed:

• кни́га (book) → книг
• страна́ (country) → стран
• река́ (river) → рек
• ру́ка (hand) → рук
• нога́ (leg) → ног
• ска́зка (fairy tale) → ска́зок

Watch out for mobile consonants that may appear: some nouns insert an extra vowel to avoid a difficult consonant cluster:

• де́вушка (young woman) → де́вушек (insertion of -е-)
• ба́бушка (grandmother) → ба́бушек
• но́жка (little leg) → но́жек
• ма́рка (stamp) → ма́рок (no mobile consonant)

Feminines ending in -я: ending -ь or -ей 🔗

• If the stem ends in a simple consonant: -ь

  • неде́ля (week) → неде́ль
  • ба́ня (Russian bath) → бань
  • пе́сня (song) → песен (no ь after н)

• If the stem ends in -ия, -ция: -ий, -ций

  • ста́нция (station) → ста́нций
  • ле́кция (lecture) → ле́кций
  • а́рмия (army) → а́рмий

Feminines ending in -ь: ending -ей 🔗

Feminine nouns ending in -ь generally take -ей:

• дверь (door) → двере́й
• вещь (thing) → веще́й
• ночь (night) → ноче́й
• дочь (daughter) → дочере́й (with insertion of -ер-)
• мать (mother) → матере́й (with insertion of -ер-)

Neuter nouns 🔗

Neuter nouns have fairly regular endings in the genitive plural.

Neuters ending in -о: zero form 🔗

For most neuters ending in -о, the ending is removed:

• окно́ (window) → о́кон
• де́ло (matter) → дел
• ме́сто (place) → мест
• сло́во (word) → слов
• число́ (number) → чи́сел

Watch out for mobile consonants:

• письмо́ (letter) → пи́сем (insertion of -е-)
• кольцо́ (ring) → коле́ц

Neuters ending in -е: ending -ей or zero form 🔗

• мо́ре (sea) → море́й
• по́ле (field) → поле́й
• зда́ние (building) → зда́ний (after -ие: -ий)
• собра́ние (assembly) → собра́ний

Neuters ending in -мя: ending -ён or -мён 🔗

These ten neuter nouns ending in -мя have a special ending:

• и́мя (first name) → имён
• вре́мя (time) → времён
• зна́мя (flag) → знамён

Nouns that only exist in the plural (pluralia tantum) 🔗

Some nouns only exist in the plural. Their genitive plural follows general rules:

• очки́ (glasses) → очко́в

• де́ньги (money) → де́нег

• часы́ (watch/clock) → часо́в

• брю́ки (trousers) → брюк

• воро́та (gate) → воро́т

• но́жницы (scissors) → но́жниц

  

  Russian for Absolute Beginners A1

  

  Russian for Advanced Beginners A2

Genitive plural of adjectives 🔗

After studying the nouns, let’s move on to adjectives. The good news: adjectives in the genitive plural are much simpler than nouns!

Qualifying adjectives: only two endings 🔗

Adjectives in the genitive plural do not vary by gender of the noun they qualify. They only present two possible endings depending on the stem type:

Hard-stem adjectives: ending -ых 🔗

• но́вый (new) → но́вых

  • мно́го но́вых студе́нтов (many new students)
  • мно́го но́вых книг (many new books)
  • мно́го но́вых о́кон (many new windows)

• большо́й (big) → больши́х

  • из больши́х городо́в (from large cities)

• ру́сский (Russian) → ру́сских

  • не́сколько ру́сских друзе́й (a few Russian friends)

Soft-stem adjectives: ending -их 🔗

• си́ний (blue) → си́них

  • без си́них руче́к (without blue pens)

• ле́тний (summer) → ле́тних

  • во вре́мя ле́тних кани́кул (during summer vacation)

Note that the same adjective form is used for all genders. This is a major simplification compared to the singular!

Possessive adjectives 🔗

Possessive adjectives follow the same rules as qualifying adjectives in the genitive plural.

Мой, твой, свой 🔗

• мой (my) → мои́х

  • у мои́х друзе́й (at my friends’ place)
  • для мои́х роди́телей (for my parents)

• твой (your) → твои́х

  • без твои́х книг (without your books)

• свой (one’s own) → свои́х

  • о́коло свои́х дете́й (near one’s children)

Наш, ваш 🔗

• наш (our) → на́ших

  • от на́ших колле́г (from our colleagues)

• ваш (your) → ва́ших

  • для ва́ших студе́нтов (for your students)

Его́, её, их (invariable) 🔗

Important reminder: его́ (his/its), её (her), and их (their) are invariable and never change:

• у его́ друзе́й (at his friends’ place)
• без её книг (without her books)
• для их роди́телей (for their parents)

Demonstrative adjectives 🔗

Demonstratives decline like qualifying adjectives:

• э́тот (this) → э́тих

  • от э́тих люде́й (from these people)
  • для э́тих студе́нтов (for these students)

• тот (that) → тех

  • без тех книг (without those books)

• весь (all) → всех

  • для всех дете́й (for all children)

• сам (oneself) → сами́х

  • от сами́х экспе́ртов (from the experts themselves)

Interrogative and relative pronouns in the genitive plural 🔗

Кто (who) and что (what) 🔗

These pronouns do not have a truly distinct plural form, but can be used in plural contexts:

• кого́ can refer to several people: Кого́ вы ви́дели? (Who did you see?)
• чего́ can refer to several objects: Чего́ вам не хвата́ет? (What are you missing?)

Кото́рый (who, that - relative) 🔗

The relative pronoun кото́рый declines like an adjective:

• кото́рый → кото́рых
  • Студе́нты, кото́рых я зна́ю, о́чень умны́. (The students that I know are very intelligent.)
  • Кни́ги, кото́рых нет в библиоте́ке. (The books that are not in the library.)

Како́й (which) and ско́лько (how many) 🔗

• како́й → каки́х

  • Каки́х друзе́й у тебя́ мно́го? (Which friends do you have many of?)

• ско́лько is invariable and always governs the genitive plural:

  • Ско́лько студе́нтов? (How many students?)
  • Ско́лько книг вы прочита́ли? (How many books have you read?)

Summary of endings 🔗

To make memorization easier, here is a summary table:

MASCULINE NOUNS

• Hard stem: -ов (столо́в, студе́нтов)
• After ж, ч, ш, щ unstressed: -ей (враче́й, мяче́й)
• After ж, ч, ш, щ stressed: -о́в (отцо́в)
• Soft stem (-ь, -й): -ей (учителе́й, музе́ев)

FEMININE NOUNS

• Ending in -а: zero form (книг, стран)
• Ending in -я: -ь or -ей (неде́ль, ле́кций)
• Ending in -ь: -ей (двере́й, ноче́й)

NEUTER NOUNS

• Ending in -о: zero form (о́кон, дел)
• Ending in -е: -ей or -ий (море́й, зда́ний)

ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS

• Hard stem: -ых (но́вых, мои́х, э́тих)
• Soft stem: -их (си́них, ле́тних)

Practical exercises 🔗

Exercise 1: form the genitive plural of nouns 🔗

Put the following nouns into the genitive plural:

1. стол (table) → ____________
2. кни́га (book) → ____________
3. окно́ (window) → ____________
4. студе́нт (student) → ____________
5. сестра́ (sister) → ____________
6. учи́тель (teacher) → ____________
7. де́ло (matter) → ____________
8. врач (doctor) → ____________
9. неде́ля (week) → ____________
10. музе́й (museum) → ____________
11. друг (friend) → ____________
12. дверь (door) → ____________
13. челове́к (person) → ____________
14. ребёнок (child) → ____________
15. мо́ре (sea) → ____________

Exercise 2: complete with the genitive plural 🔗

Complete the sentences with the correct genitive plural form:

1. У меня́ мно́го (хоро́ший друг) ____________.
2. В магази́не нет (све́жее я́блоко) ____________.
3. Ско́лько (но́вый студе́нт) ____________ в гру́ппе?
4. Он пришёл без (ва́жный докуме́нт) ____________.
5. Для (на́ши де́ти) ____________ э́то о́чень интере́сно.
6. Я не зна́ю (э́тот челове́к) ____________.
7. У (мои́ роди́тели) ____________ нет маши́ны.
8. Не́сколько (краси́вая де́вушка) ____________ гуля́ли в па́рке.
9. От (ста́рый сосе́д) ____________ не́было изве́стий.
10. Среди́ (молодо́й музыка́нт) ____________ мно́го тала́нта.

Exercise 3: translate from English to Russian 🔗

Translate these sentences using the genitive plural:

1. I have many friends.
2. There are no books on the table.
3. How many students are in the class?
4. For our children, this is important.
5. Without these documents, I cannot work.
6. Near the large windows.
7. From my new colleagues.
8. At our old neighbors’ place.
9. Five Russian books.
10. There are no teachers today.

Tips for memorizing the genitive plural 🔗

1. Start with the regular forms: master the standard endings first (-ов for hard masculines, zero form for feminines in -а) before tackling exceptions.

2. Create thematic lists: group nouns by category (professions, objects, family) and practice putting them into the genitive plural.

3. Learn the exceptions by heart: irregular nouns like друзе́й, люде́й, дете́й are very common. Memorize them first.

4. Practice with мно́го and нет: these two words always govern the genitive plural. Create simple sentences with them.

5. Watch out for mobile consonants: for feminines in -а and neuters in -о, check whether a vowel needs to be inserted (де́вушек, пи́сем).

6. Adjectives are simpler: fortunately, adjectives only have two forms (-ых/-их), which compensates for the complexity of the nouns!

7. Use an online tool: as you can see, the genitive plural is complex. If in doubt about a specific word not listed here, this automatic Russian noun decliner lets you verify its form instantly.

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Answer key 🔗

Exercise 1:

1. столо́в
2. книг
3. о́кон
4. студе́нтов
5. сестёр
6. учителе́й
7. дел
8. враче́й
9. неде́ль
10. музе́ев
11. друзе́й
12. двере́й
13. люде́й
14. дете́й
15. море́й

Exercise 2:

1. хоро́ших друзе́й
2. све́жих я́блок
3. но́вых студе́нтов
4. ва́жных докуме́нтов
5. на́ших дете́й
6. э́тих люде́й
7. мои́х роди́телей
8. краси́вых де́вушек
9. ста́рых сосе́дей
10. молоды́х музыка́нтов

Exercise 3:

1. У меня́ мно́го друзе́й.
2. На столе́ нет книг.
3. Ско́лько студе́нтов в кла́ссе?
4. Для на́ших дете́й э́то ва́жно.
5. Без э́тих докуме́нтов я не могу́ рабо́тать.
6. О́коло больши́х о́кон.
7. От мои́х но́вых колле́г.
8. У на́ших ста́рых сосе́дей.
9. Пять ру́сских книг.
10. Сего́дня нет учителе́й.

To deepen your mastery of Russian cases and progress methodically toward B1, discover my textbooks with hundreds of corrected exercises. Each lesson builds on the previous ones to guarantee progress without gaps.

This article is part of our complete series on Russian plural grammatical cases. Also check out our guides on the accusative plural, the dative plural, the instrumental plural and the locative plural for a complete mastery of Russian cases.