Appendix:Russian stress patterns - nouns

According to the classification system of Andrey Zaliznyak (Андре́й Зализня́к) there are 6 stress patterns of Russian nouns’ declension, with 4 variants.

NOTE: Boldfaced cases differ from the other cases in the same number (singular or plural).

The accusative plural is like the nominative plural for inanimate nouns, and like the genitive plural for animate nouns.

Mnemonic:

1. Patterns a/c/e (or odd-numbered) have stem stress in the singular. Patterns b/d/f and variants (or even-numbered) have ending stress in the singular.
2. In a and b, plural is like singular. In c and d, it's opposite. In e and f, the plural has moving stress: ending stress, except the nominative plural with stem stress.
3. The variant patterns (bʹ, dʹ, fʹ, fʺ) are all ending-stressed in the singular except for one case: accusative singular in dʹ and fʹ, instrumental singular in bʹ and fʺ. (Note however that the stress on the "stem" in a word like любо́вью is on the same syllable as the stress on the "ending" in любо́вь.) In nouns, patterns dʹ and fʹ occur only with feminines in -а and -я (the singular accusative endings -у and -ю are unstressed), and bʹ and fʺ occur only with feminines in -ь (the singular instrumental ending -ью is unstressed).

The great majority of masculine nouns have stress always on the stem (accent pattern A). In particular:

• New borrowings from other languages (ex. компью́тер (kompʹjúter))
• Nouns with more than two syllables (ex. анана́с (ananás))
• Nouns that are not stressed on the last syllable in the nominative singular (the dictionary form) (ex. ла́стик (lástik))

There are however, exceptions to these rules that are outlined below.

The masculine nouns with stress pattern b (end stressed) fall into a few groups:

• Several common 1-syllable nouns:

• In addition, to this stress pattern are the following groups of multi-syllable masculine nouns:
  • Those with a reducible stem that either:
    1. Have stress on the final syllable (ex. молото́к (molotók)); or
    2. Are one of three nouns with stress on the penultimate syllable in the nominative singular: у́гол (úgol), у́горь (úgorʹ) and узел (uzel)
  • Those in stressed -ец (-ec) (ex. мертве́ц (mertvéc))
  • Those in a stressed vowel + -ч (ex. кирпи́ч (kirpíč))
  • Those ending in -ёж (-jóž) (ex. грабёж (grabjóž))
  • Two-syllable ending in stressed -аш (-aš) or -ыш (-yš) (ex. алка́ш (alkáš), малы́ш (malýš)), and каранда́ш (karandáš)
  • Those ending in a stressed vowel + -рь (ex. волды́рь (voldýrʹ)) Exception: госуда́рь (gosudárʹ)
  • Those ending in the suffixes -як (-jak), -юк (-juk), or -ик (-ik) (-ак (-ak), -ук (-uk), and -ик (-ik) after a syllabant) (ex. мая́к (maják), индю́к (indjúk), грузови́к (gruzovík)) Exceptions: манья́к (manʹják), поля́к (polják), каучу́к (kaučúk), таджи́к (tadžík)
  • Two-syllable nouns ending in -ак (-ak), -ук (-uk), and -ык (-yk) (ex. кула́к (kulák), сунду́к (sundúk), язы́к (jazýk)) Exceptions: бара́к (barák), бива́к (bivák), сайга́к (sajgák), слова́к (slovák), contractions with -фак (-fak) (ex. рабфа́к (rabfák)), бамбу́к (bambúk), калмы́к (kalmýk)
  • Those ending in -ун (-un) or -юн (-jun) (ex. табу́н (tabún)) Exceptions: кану́н (kanún)
  • The following words:

The masculine nouns with stress pattern c (end stressed in the plural) fall into a two groups:

• Several 1-syllable nouns:

• Masculine nouns with the nominative plural -а (-a) (-я (-ja) for nouns ending in й or ь) (ex. дом (dom), край (kraj), учи́тель (učítelʹ)) Exception: рука́в (rukáv)

  See Category:Russian nouns ending in a consonant with plural -а, Category:Russian nouns ending in -ь with plural -я, Category:Russian nouns ending in -й with plural -я

The following categories of masculine nouns belong to this stress pattern:

• Several 1-syllable nouns: бог (bog, “god”), волк (volk, “wolf”), вор (vor, “thief”), год (god, “year”), гость (gostʹ, “guest”), гром (grom, “thunder”), гусь (gusʹ, “goose”), зверь (zverʹ, “beast”), зуб (zub, “tooth”), лось (losʹ, “elk”), пол (pol, “sex”), порт (port, “port”), род (rod), слог (slog, “syllable”), чёрт (čort, “devil”)
• Some nouns of multiple syllables, especially those ending in soft sign: во́лос (vólos, “hair”), го́лубь (gólubʹ, “dove”), жёлудь (žóludʹ, “acorn”), ка́мень (kámenʹ, “stone”), ко́готь (kógotʹ, “talon”), ко́зырь (kózyrʹ, “trump”), ко́рень (kórenʹ, “root”), ку́дри (kúdri, “curl”), ла́поть (lápotʹ, “bast sandal”), ле́бедь (lébedʹ, “swan”), ло́коть (lókotʹ, “elbow”), но́готь (nógotʹ, “fingernail”), о́бруч (óbruč, “hoop”), о́вощ (óvošč, “vegetable”), о́кунь (ókunʹ, “perch”), о́муль (ómulʹ), па́рень (párenʹ, “guy”), со́боль (sóbolʹ, “sable”)
• A few pluralia tantum: кле́щи (kléšči, “pincers”), мо́щи (móšči, “religious relics”), са́ни (sáni, “sleigh”), слю́ни (sljúni, “saliva”)

The following masculine nouns belong to this stress pattern: гвоздь (gvozdʹ, “nail (construction)”), груздь (gruzdʹ, “milk cap (mushroom)”), червь (červʹ, “worm”), конь (konʹ, “horse”)

Most feminine nouns have fixed stem stress (accent pattern a), including all feminine-form nouns ending in unstressed -а or -я. For example, ша́пка (šápka, “hat”) will have fixed stressed because the final -а is not stressed. There are only two exceptions to this rule: дере́вня (derévnja, “village”) and до́ля (dólja, “portion”)

The following subsections will outline the stress patterns of nouns that govern feminine nouns that are stressed on the final -а or -я in the dictionary form.

To this stress pattern belong the following groups of feminine form nouns:

• Nouns ending in -ня́ (-njá) (ex. ступня́ (stupnjá, “foot”))
• The following two-syllable nouns: башка́ (bašká), гряда́ (grjadá, “ridge, range”), казна́ (kazná), кайма́ (kajmá), киста́ (kistá, “cyst”), кишка́ (kišká), княжна́ (knjažná), корма́ (kormá), ладья́ (ladʹjá), левша́ (levšá), мечта́ (mečtá, “dream”), мольба́ (molʹbá), самса́ (samsá, “samosa”), скамья́ (skamʹjá, “bench”), статья́ (statʹjá, “article”), стопа́ (stopá, “foot”), тахта́ (taxtá), фата́ (fatá), ханжа́ (xanžá),(по-)хвала́ ((po-)xvalá, “praise”), чалма́ (čalmá, “turban”), черта́ (čertá, “line, trait”), чета́ (četá), швея́ (švejá, “seamstress”), юла́ (julá)
• All feminine nouns of more than one syllable, with the stress on the last syllable (ex. госпожа́ (gospožá)), except for those nouns listed in the sections below.

To this stress pattern belongs the following groups of feminine form nouns:

• Most two-syllable feminine form nouns with stress on the ending in the dictionary form. (ex. игра́ (igrá, “game”), тюрьма́ (tjurʹmá, “prison”))
• Feminine form nouns ending in stressed -ина́ (-iná), -ота́ (-otá) (ex. частота́ (častotá, “frequency”), сирота́ (sirotá, “orphan”))
• The following three-syllable nouns with stress on the final -a: колбаса́ (kolbasá, “sausage”), скорлупа́ (skorlupá, “eggshell”), стрекоза́ (strekozá, “dragonfly”)

To this stress pattern belongs the following groups of feminine form nouns: вода́ (vodá, “water”), душа́ (dušá, “soul”), земля́ (zemljá, “earth”), зима́ (zimá, “winter”), река́ (reká, “river”), спина́ (spiná, “back”), стена́ (stená, “wall”), цена́ (cená, “price”)

To this stress pattern belongs the following groups of feminine form nouns:

• The following two-syllable feminine nouns: вожжа́ (vožžá, “rein”), губа́ (gubá, “lip”), ноздря́ (nozdrjá), свеча́ (svečá, “candle”), слеза́ (slezá, “tear”), сопля́ (sopljá), строка́ (stroká, “line”), серьга́ (serʹgá, “earring”)
• The following three-syllable nouns with stress on the final syllable: голова́ (golová, “chief, master”), железа́ (železá, “gland”), простыня́ (prostynjá, “bedsheet”), сковорода́ (skovorodá, “frying pan”)

To this stress pattern belongs the following groups of feminine form nouns:

• The following feminine nouns: гора́ (gorá), нога́ (nogá, “leg”), пора́ (porá, “time”), рука́ (ruká, “arm”), щека́ (ščeká, “cheek”), доска́ (doská, “board”), среда́ (sredá, “Wednesday”)
• The following three-syllable nouns with stress on the final syllable: борода́ (borodá, “beard”), голова́ (golová, “head”), сторона́ (storoná, “side”), борозда́ (borozdá, “furrow”), борона́ (boroná, “harrow”), полоса́ (polosá, “strip”)

Most neuter nouns have fixed stress, including those with the ending -ство (-stvo), -ание (-anije), and -ение (-enije).

Two neuter nouns have stress pattern e: о́ко (óko, “eye”) (pl. о́чи (óči)) and у́хо (úxo, “ear”) (pl. у́ши (úši))

Two neuter nouns have stress pattern f: плечо́ (plečó, “shoulder”), крыльцо́ (krylʹcó, “porch”)

Having the ending stress in all cases are the following groups of neuter nouns:

• Words with two or more syllables ending with -ство (-stvo), -ко (-ko), -цо (-co), -ьё (-ʹjó), -иё (-ijó), or -ие (-ije) (ex. вещество́ (veščestvó, “substance”), словцо́ (slovcó, “word”)) Exceptions: меньшинство́ (menʹšinstvó, “minority”), лицо́ (licó, “face”), копьё (kopʹjó, “spear”), ружьё (ružʹjó, “shotgun”), крыльцо́ (krylʹcó, “porch”), кольцо́ (kolʹcó, “ring”), яйцо́ (jajcó, “egg”)

Having the end stress in the plural are the following groups of neuter nouns:

• The following two-syllable nouns: во́йско (vójsko, “army”) , де́ло (délo, “affair”), ме́сто (mésto, “place”), мо́ре (móre, “sea”), мы́ло (mýlo, “soap”), не́бо (nébo, “sky”), по́ле (póle, “field”), пра́во (právo, “right”), се́рдце (sérdce, “heart”), сло́во (slóvo, “word”), ста́до (stádo, “herd”), су́дно (súdno, “ship”), те́ло (télo, “body”), чу́до (čúdo, “wonder”)
• The following three-syllable nouns : зе́ркало (zérkalo, “mirror”), де́ревце (dérevce, “(small) tree”), о́блако (óblako, “cloud”), о́блачко (óblačko, “(small) cloud”)
• Neuter nouns ending in "-мя": и́мя (ímja), вре́мя (vrémja, “time”), пле́мя (plémja, “tribe”), стре́мя (strémja, “stirrup”), and се́мя (sémja, “seed”). Exception: зна́мя (známja, “banner”)

• Neuter nouns of two or more syllables with stress on the ending, not ending in -ство (-stvo), -ко (-ko), -цо (-co), -ьё (-ʹjó), -иё (-ijó), or -ие (-ije) (ex. гнездо́ (gnezdó), ремесло́ (remesló), село́ (seló))
• The following: дно (dno, “bottom”) (pl. до́нья (dónʹja)), меньшинство́ (menʹšinstvó, “minority”), лицо́ (licó, “face”), кольцо (kolʹco, “ring”), копьё (kopʹjó, “spear”), ружьё (ružʹjó, “shotgun”), яйцо́ (jajcó, “egg”)

Feminine nouns ending in -ь usually have fixed stress, with the stress on the same syllable in all cases.

Five of these nouns have end stress in all forms except the instrumental singular (pattern bʹ): вошь (vošʹ), глушь (glušʹ), ложь (ložʹ), любовь (ljubovʹ), and рожь (rožʹ).

In addition, the following proper nouns have end stress in all forms except the instrumental singular (pattern bʹ): Обь (Obʹ), Омь (Omʹ), Пермь (Permʹ), Русь (Rusʹ), Тверь (Tverʹ), and Томь (Tomʹ).

The noun грудь (grudʹ) is end stressed in all cases except the instrumental singular and nominative/accusative plural (pattern f").

1. The following one-syllable nouns: бровь (brovʹ, “eyebrow”), весть (vestʹ, “tiding”), ветвь (vetvʹ, “branch”), вещь (veščʹ, “thing”), власть (vlastʹ, “power”), горсть (gorstʹ), гроздь (grozdʹ), дверь (dverʹ), дочь (dočʹ, “daughter”), дробь (drobʹ), жердь (žerdʹ), зыбь (zybʹ), кисть (kistʹ), кость (kostʹ, “bone”), кровь (krovʹ), масть (mastʹ), мать (matʹ, “mother”), мышь (myšʹ, “mouse”), ночь (nočʹ, “night”), ось (osʹ, “axis”), печь (pečʹ, “oven”), плеть (pletʹ), речь (rečʹ, “speech”), роль (rolʹ, “role”), сельдь (selʹdʹ), сеть (setʹ, “net”), скорбь (skorbʹ), сласть (slastʹ), смерть (smertʹ, “death”), снасть (snastʹ), соль (solʹ), степь (stepʹ), страсть (strastʹ), тень (tenʹ), треть (tretʹ), трость (trostʹ), цепь (cepʹ), часть (častʹ), шерсть (šerstʹ), щель (ščelʹ)
2. The following multi-syllable nouns: во́лость (vólostʹ), до́лжность (dólžnostʹ), кре́пость (krépostʹ, “stronghold”), ло́пасть (lópastʹ), ло́шадь (lóšadʹ, “horse”), ме́лочь (méločʹ), но́вость (nóvostʹ, “piece of news”), о́бласть (óblastʹ), о́чередь (óčeredʹ, “queue”), пло́скость (plóskostʹ), пло́щадь (plóščadʹ), по́весть (póvestʹ), по́лость (pólostʹ), про́пасть (própastʹ), сво́лочь (svóločʹ), ска́терть (skátertʹ, “skirt”), ско́рость (skórostʹ, “speed”), сте́пень (stépenʹ), сте́рлядь (stérljadʹ), ступе́нь (stupénʹ, “degree, phase”), це́рковь (cérkovʹ, “church”), че́тверть (čétvertʹ), щёлочь (ščóločʹ).

The following have the stress shifted to the end in the genitive plural: кольцо́ (kolʹcó) (ко́льца – коле́ц), овца́ (ovcá) (о́вцы – ове́ц), свинья́ (svinʹjá) (сви́ньи – свине́й), семья́ (semʹjá) (се́мьи – семе́й), сестра́ (sestrá) (сёстры – сестёр), судья́ (sudʹjá) (су́дьи – суде́й), яйцо́ (jajcó) (я́йца – яи́ц); земля́ (zemljá) (зе́мли – земе́ль), хло́поты (xlópoty) (хлопо́т)

• Wiktionary:Russian templates
• Русская Грамматика: Ударение существительных