The plural of Russian nouns
Forming the plural by gender, the spelling rule, and irregular nouns
⚡Key points
The regular plural by gender
In Russian the plural is formed by changing the ending of the nominative. No article, no “s”: the end of the word itself changes. The form depends on the noun’s gender and on the last consonant of the stem.
Plural endings
| Masculine (consonant) | + -ы | стол → столы́, студе́нт → студе́нты |
| Masculine (-й / -ь) | → -и | музе́й → музе́и, слова́рь → словари́ |
| Feminine (-а) | → -ы | маши́на → маши́ны, ма́ма → ма́мы |
| Feminine (-я / -ь) | → -и | неде́ля → неде́ли, тетра́дь → тетра́ди |
| Neuter (-о) | → -а | окно́ → о́кна, письмо́ → пи́сьма |
| Neuter (-е) | → -я | мо́ре → моря́, зда́ние → зда́ния |
The spelling rule к, г, х, ж, ш, щ, ч
After the letters к, г, х (velars) and ж, ш, щ, ч (hushers), you always write -и, never -ы. This is why кни́га (feminine in -а, where -ы is expected) becomes кни́ги.
The rule in action
Stem ends in к, г, х → -и
кни́га → кни́ги (books) — not “книгы”.
нога́ → но́ги (legs), рука́ → ру́ки (hands).
студе́нтка → студе́нтки (female students).
Stem ends in ж, ш, щ, ч → -и
нож → ножи́ (knives), каранда́ш → карандаши́ (pencils).
врач → врачи́ (doctors), това́рищ → това́рищи (comrades).
Irregular plurals to memorise
A small set of very common nouns forms its plural differently. Since they come up constantly, it is best to learn them from the start.
The most frequent irregulars
| Masculine → stressed -а | дом → дома́ | houses (also го́род → города́, по́езд → поезда́) |
| Masculine → -ья | друг → друзья́ | friends (also брат → бра́тья, стул → сту́лья) |
| Neuter → -ья | де́рево → дере́вья | trees |
| Suppletive | челове́к → лю́ди | people (челове́к = one person) |
| Suppletive | ребёнок → де́ти | children |
| Feminine in -ь | мать → ма́тери | mothers (also дочь → до́чери) |
💡⚠️ Plural-only and invariable nouns
Dialogue: at the market
Anna: What are you buying? — Ivan: Apples, tomatoes and two books for the children. — Anna: And where are our friends? — Ivan: They’re over there, buying magazines and newspapers.