Russian O

[samwitdangol]

Hello,

Are there any Russian speakers here who could explain how one can know if the O is stressed or unstressed?

Thank you!

[stream]

In dictionary entries, there are stress marks to indicate which vowels are stressed.

I'm not sure if there are any clearly discernible patterns, you basically just have to learn the stress pattern of each new word you learn. There actually are patterns as to how the stress changes when you decline a word, but there are lots of them and I don't think there is a way to discern it just by looking at it.

In any case, you will probably be understood if you stress a vowel incorrectly if given context, it will just sound weird.

[samwitdangol]

Thank you!

There actually are patterns as to how the stress changes when you decline a word,

I have a question though. What do you mean by "decline a word"?

[stream]

Pronouns, nouns, demonstratives, adjectives, most numerals and other particles are declined to six grammatical cases and two grammatical numbers. All of these words follow the three grammatical genders- feminine (e.g. кошка- cat) masculine (e.g. пёс- dog) and gender-neuteral (e.g. пальто- coat). This gives many spelling combinations for most words.

The 6 noun cases (which replace prepositions) are:

Nominative – the “subject” case. It answers the question of who/what (кто/что) and identifies the subject of a sentence. In Russian dictionaries, all nouns are given in the nominative case.
Example: Собака бежала по улице (the dog ran down the street).
Here, "Собака" (dog) is the subject of the sentence and remains the "common" word for dog.

Genitive – corresponding to the possessive case. It answers the questions whom/of whom ( кого) and what/ of what (чего). It shows attribution, possession, or absence. It can answer the question of "from where" (откуда).
Example: Я достала из сумки книгу (I took the book out of the bag)
Here, the ending of the word "сумки" (bag) is changed to reflect the genitive case: сумка "a bag" - becomes сумки- out of the bag.

Dative – corresponding to “to + (noun)" or the indirect object. It answers the questions to whom/what (кому/чему) and shows that something is given or addressed to the object.
Example: Я повернулся к человеку (I turned to the person).
Here, the word person (человек) becomes "человеку".

Accusative – the “direct object” case. It answers the questions whom/what ( кого/что ) and where ( куда ).
Example1: Я покупаю новый телефон (I am buying a new phone).
The word телефон is in the accusative case and is the object of the sentence. Note that the ending does not change in this example.
Example2: Какую книгу ты сейчас читаешь? (What book are you reading now?)
The word книга - "a book" - becomes книгу in this example.

Instrumental – denoting an instrument used in an action. Answers the questions with whom/with what (кем/чем). It can be used to refer with whom/with the help of what an action is completed. It can also be used to talk about something that you are interested in.
Example: Иван интересуется китайской культурой. (Ivan is interested in Chinese culture).
Here, Культурой is in the instrumental case and shows Ivan's interest. The ending has changed: культура (culture) becomes культурой.

Prepositional – used with many common prepositions, such as “in”, “on” etc. It answers the questions about whom/about what (о ком/о чем) and the question где- where.
Example: Я постараюсь проснуться на рассвете (I will try to wake up at dawn).
Here, На рассвете (at dawn" is in the prepositional case. The ending has changed: Рассвет "dawn" - becomes на рассвете - "at dawn."

The two grammatical numbers are singular or plural.

All Russian nouns belong to one of the three declension groups.

The First Declension Includes all feminine and masculine nouns ending in а and я (plural ы and и) and its variants depending on its case. For example, the word "мама" (mom) is in the first declension group.

Nominative singular/plural- а, я/ы, и 
Example: мама (mom)/мамы (moms)
Genitive singular/plural- ы, и/ --, ей
Example: мамы (of mom)/ мамей (of moms)
Dative singular/plural е, и/ ам, ям
Example: маме (to mom)/ мамам ( to moms)
Accusative singular/plural- у, ю/ --, и, ей
Example: маму (mom)/ мамей (moms)
Instrumental singular/plural ой, ою, ей, ею/ ами, ями
Example: мамой ( by mom) / мамами ( by moms)
Prepositional singular/plural е, и/ ах, ях
Example: о маме (about mom) / о мамах (about moms)


The Second Declension Includes all other masculine and neutral words.

Nominative singular/plural- -- (masculine), o, e (neutral)/ а, я, ы, и
Example: конь ( a horse)/ кони (horses)
Genitive singular/plural-    а, я/ --, ов, ев, ей
Example: коня (of a horse)/ коней (of horses)
Dative singular/plural у, ю/ ам, ям   
Example: коню (to a horse)/ коням (to horses)
Accusative singular/plural- -- (masculine), о, е (neutral)/ а, я, ы, и
Example: коня (a horse)/ коней (horses)
Instrumental singular/plural ом, ем/ами ями
Example: конём (by/with a horse)/ конями (by/with horses)
Prepositional singular/plural е, и/ ах, ях
Example: о коне (about a horse)/ о конях (About horses)

The Third Declension Includes all other feminine words.

Nominative singular/plural- --/и
Example: мышь (a mouse)/ мыши (mice)
Genitive singular/plural- и/ ей
Example: мыши ( of a mouse)/ мышей (of mice)
Dative singular/plural и/ам, ям   
Example: мыши (to a mouse)/ мышам ( to mice)
Accusative singular/plural- --/ ей, и
Example: мышь ( a mouse)/ мышей ( mice)
Instrumental singular/plural ю/ ами ями
Example: мышью (by a mouse)/ мышами (by mice)
Prepositional singular/plural и/ ах ях
Example: о мыши (about a mouse)/ о мышах (about mice).

Some nouns (such as borrowings from other languages, abbreviations, etc.) are not modified when they change number and case.

I think this should cover the basics. I would definitely recommend reading more into the rules for this if you haven't already!

Hope this helped at least somewhat,

--Streamy

[samwitdangol]

Thank you Streamy!

[stream]

Thank you Streamy!

  No problem!