Нет предела совершенству.
There is no limit to perfection. (saying)
Яблоку негде упасть.
There’s no room to move. (saying)
Азбука – к мудрости ступенька.
You have to learn to walk before you can run. (saying)
Счёт дружбе не помеха.
Even reckoning makes long friends. (saying)
| Purpose |
The dative case is the third case in Russian. It answers the questions чему? and кому? Its purpose is to indicate the indirect object in a sentence. This case has a lower frequency, in comparison with other cases.
| Formation |
Forming this case is relatively easy. See for yourself.
| Masculine |
| consonant + у | магазин (store) офис (office) студент (student) | магазину – офису – студенту – |
| –й becomes –ю | музей (museum) трамвай (tram) | музею – трамваю – |
| –ь becomes –ю | корабль (boat) роль (role) | кораблю – ролю – |
| Feminine |
| –a becomes –e | бабушка (grandmother) дедушка (grandfather) | бабушке – дедушке – |
| –я becomes –e | неделя (week) статья (article) | неделе – статье – |
| –ь becomes –и | постель (bed) соль (salt) | постели – соли – |
| Neuter |
| –e becomes –ю | море (sea) платье (dress) | морю – платью – |
| –o becomes –у | место (place) озеро (sea) | месту – озеру – |
And there you have it! Stay tuned for the dative plural. That will be our next case post.
My Slavic Studies 