Today, let’s learn Russian demonstrative pronouns in the Prepositional case.
Here are the demonstrative pronouns (the first one in a pair is in the Nominative case, the second one is in the Prepositional):
This:
э́тот – (об) э́том
э́та – (об) э́той
э́то – (об) э́том
э́ти – (об) э́тих
That:
тот – (о) том
та – (о) той
то – (о) том
те – (о) тех
Now let’s practice use of these pronouns. Nouns and pronouns in the Prepositional are highlighted with their prepositions:
Он живёт в э́том до́ме.
He lives in this house.
Я ничего́ об э́том не зна́ю.
I know nothing about it. / I don’t know anything about it.
По́мнишь, как мы ра́ньше гуля́ли по э́той у́лице?
Do you remember how we used to stroll down this street?
На э́тих выходны́х мы е́дем к роди́телям.
This weekend we are going to our parents.
На тех выходны́х мы бы́ли в кино́.
Last weekend we went to a cinema.
В том до́ме никто́ не живёт.
Nobody lives in that house.
Кни́га вон на той по́лке.
The book is on that shelf.
В том зда́нии нахо́дится больни́ца.
That building is the hospital.
Listen to the audio and practice all examples of today’s lesson.
We’ve already covered Russian personal pronouns in the Instrumental case. Today let’s have a look at the demonstrative pronouns: Study the lesson »
Today we continue learning the Russian grammar and dedicate this lesson to the demonstrative pronouns in the Dative case. Study the lesson »
In this lesson we continue learning Russian pronouns in the Gentive case. Today is the turn of the demonstrative pronouns. Study the lesson »
In this lesson we will learn how the demonstrative pronouns change in the Accusative case. Study the lesson »
In this lesson, we will learn the Russian demonstrative pronouns.
A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun that is used to point to something specific. These pronouns can indicate items in space or time.
In Russian, the demonstrative pronouns depend on the gender and number of the subject. Here they are:
This/these:
э́тот [é-tat] – masculine
э́та [é-ta] – feminine
э́то [é-ta] – neuter
э́ти [é-tee] – plural
That/those:
тот [tot] – masculine
та [ta] – feminine
то [to] – neuter
те [tye] – plural
Let’s look at some examples:
э́тот день – this day (masculine)
[é-tat dyen’]
э́та кни́га – this book (feminine)
[é-ta knée-ga]
э́то письмо́ – this letter (neuter)
[é-ta pees’-mó]
э́ти слова́ – these words (plural)
[é-tee sla-vá]
тот магази́н – that shop (masculine)
[tot ma-ga-zéen]
та су́мка – that bag (feminine)
[ta súm-ka]
то у́тро – that morning (neuter)
[to út-ra]
те дома́ – those houses (plural)
[tye da-má]
How to say “this is something/someone” in Russian
When you introduce a subject for the first time (i.e. when in English you would normally use This is a… or These are …), you need to use the neuter pronoun э́то regardless of the gender and number of the subject.
Э́то кни́га.
[é-ta knée-ga]
This (It) is a book.
Э́то пи́сьма.
[é-ta pées’-ma]
These are letters.
Practice the examples of this lesson with the audio recording.
