{"id":3793,"date":"2012-09-25T08:46:11","date_gmt":"2012-09-25T08:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=3793"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:48:32","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:48:32","slug":"accusative-and-genitive-in-negative-russian-sentences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/accusative-and-genitive-in-negative-russian-sentences\/","title":{"rendered":"Going Negative with Accusative and Genitive"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

\u00a0How about this phrase \u041d\u0435 \u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0436\u0443 \u0441\u043c\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/strong> (It doesn\u2019t make sense to me).<\/p>\n

The verb \u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442\u044c<\/strong> is transitive, so according to the rule<\/a>\u00a0the noun \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b<\/strong> must be in accusative. Yet \u0441\u043c\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/strong> is not accusative, but genitive case (check out the complete declension table).<\/p>\n

Besides, if I were to say \u042f \u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0436\u0443 \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b \u0432 \u0447\u0451\u043c-\u0442\u043e<\/strong> (Something makes sense to me), the noun does conform to the rule and is in accusative.<\/p>\n

Why would you say<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044f\u043b \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441<\/strong> – I understood the question<\/p>\n

but<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044f\u043b \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0430<\/strong> – I did not understand the question<\/p>\n

and<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u044e \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0440\u0435\u0441<\/strong> – I remember your address<\/p>\n

but<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u044e \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0430<\/strong> – I do not remember your address<\/p>\n

and<\/p>\n

\u0412 \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0433\u043b\u0443\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b<\/strong> – There\u2019s deep sense in his work<\/p>\n

but<\/p>\n

\u0412 \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u043d\u0435\u0442 \u043d\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u0441\u043c\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/strong> – There\u2019s absolutely no sense in his work<\/p>\n

The only difference between each pair of sentences is that the first sentence is a positive one and the second is a negative one.<\/p>\n

So it looks like even if a verb is transitive, but is used in a negative sentence, genitive case will be used for a noun<\/span>.<\/p>\n

That is indeed the case except… ok, let\u2019s consider the following examples:<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043b \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u0443 \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0443<\/strong> (I did not buy this book) – The word \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0443<\/strong> is accusative of \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0430<\/strong> (book).<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043b \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (I did not buy his loyalty) – The word \u043f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (loyalty) is genitive of \u043f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (loyalty).<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span> \u0442\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0443!<\/strong> (Do not drop the plate!) – the word \u0442\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0443<\/strong> is accusative of \u0442\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (plate)<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span> \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430!<\/strong> (Do not demean yourself!) – the word \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430<\/strong> is genitive of \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (dignity)<\/p>\n

\u0421\u0430\u043c \u044f \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0443 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b<\/strong> (By myself I won\u2019t carry the table out) – \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b<\/strong> is accusative of \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b<\/strong> (table).<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0443 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0445 \u0442\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0439<\/strong> (I won\u2019t endure these difficulties) – \u0442\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0439<\/strong> is genitive of \u0442\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (difficulties)<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably noticed that accusative was used for tangible nouns – a book, a plate, a table. Genitive was used for abstract nouns, such as loyalty, dignity, and difficulties.<\/p>\n

However, this is not a hard and fast rule, but more of a general guide<\/span>. We prefer to use accusative for tangible and genitive for abstract nouns. But we don\u2019t always do. That is why you are as likely to encounter both<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u044f\u043b \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0430 <\/strong>and \u042f \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u044f\u043b \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441<\/strong> (I did not understand the question)
\n\u041c\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0431\u0438\u043b\u0435\u0442\u043e\u0432<\/strong> and \u041c\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0431\u0438\u043b\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (We did not get the tickets)
\n\u041e\u043d \u043d\u0435 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043b \u0442\u0430\u0440\u0435\u043b\u043a\u0438<\/strong> and \u041e\u043d \u043d\u0435 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043b \u0442\u0430\u0440\u0435\u043b\u043a\u0443<\/strong> (He did not drop the plate)
\n\u0422\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u044b\u043d\u0435\u0441 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0430<\/strong> and \u0422\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u044b\u043d\u0435\u0441 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b<\/strong> (You did not take out the table)
\n\u041e\u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u0440\u0449\u0430<\/strong> and \u041e\u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u0440\u0449<\/strong> (She did not eat borscht)<\/p>\n

To confuse the situation a bit more, idiomatic expressions are excluded for this altogether and the correct declension must be memorized:<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u044c \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0443<\/strong> (Do not pester me)
\n\u041d\u0435 \u0437\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0439 \u0437\u0443<\/span>\u0431\u044b<\/strong> (Do not give a runaround)
\n\u041d\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (To feel antsy)
\nand more<\/p>\n

If you feel confused, take solace in the fact that many native speakers tend to just as confused about the use of accusative and genitive cases in negative sentences. Remember, the more you speak, the higher the chance you will get it right!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0How about this phrase \u041d\u0435 \u0432\u0438\u0436\u0443 \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b\u0430 (It doesn\u2019t make sense to me). The verb \u0432\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0442\u044c is transitive, so according to the rule\u00a0the noun \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b must be in accusative. Yet \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b\u0430 is not accusative, but genitive case (check out the complete declension table). Besides, if I were to say \u042f \u0432\u0438\u0436\u0443 \u0441\u043c\u044b\u0441\u043b \u0432 \u0447\u0451\u043c-\u0442\u043e (Something…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[3794,1084,253000,13099,253010,253011,1237,252999],"class_list":["post-3793","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-language","tag-accusative-case","tag-genitive-case","tag-intransitive-verb","tag-learn-russian","tag-russian-abstract-nouns","tag-russian-concrete-nouns","tag-russian-grammar","tag-transitive-verb"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3793"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6506,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3793\/revisions\/6506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}