Expressions of Time in Russian

Expressions of Time in Russian

Expressions of time are vital in any language, helping to describe when events occur and providing context for actions and situations. In Russian, time expressions follow specific grammatical rules, including cases, prepositions, and context-based nuances. This guide will explore various ways to express time in Russian and how to use them effectively.


1. Days of the Week

Days of the week in Russian are straightforward but require different grammatical cases depending on the context.

Days of the Week in the Nominative Case

Used when simply naming the day.

  • Понедельник (Monday)
  • Вторник (Tuesday)
  • Среда (Wednesday)
  • Четверг (Thursday)
  • Пятница (Friday)
  • Суббота (Saturday)
  • Воскресенье (Sunday)

Examples in Sentences

  1. Сегодня понедельник.
    (Today is Monday.)
  2. Вчера была пятница.
    (Yesterday was Friday.)

Days with Prepositions (Accusative and Prepositional Cases)

  • Use the prepositional case with в (on) to specify a day of the week.
    Example:
    Мы встретились в понедельник. (We met on Monday.)
  • Use the accusative case for repetitive actions.
    Example:
    Каждую субботу мы ходим в парк. (Every Saturday we go to the park.)

2. Months and Seasons

Months in Russian

Months are used in the prepositional case with the preposition в (in) when referring to a specific time.

  • Январь (January) → в январе (in January)
  • Февраль (February) → в феврале (in February)
  • Март (March) → в марте (in March)
  • Апрель (April) → в апреле (in April)
  • Май (May) → в мае (in May)
  • Июнь (June) → в июне (in June)
  • Июль (July) → в июле (in July)
  • Август (August) → в августе (in August)
  • Сентябрь (September) → в сентябре (in September)
  • Октябрь (October) → в октябре (in October)
  • Ноябрь (November) → в ноябре (in November)
  • Декабрь (December) → в декабре (in December)

Examples

  1. Я родился в мае.
    (I was born in May.)
  2. Мы уедем в августе.
    (We will leave in August.)

Seasons in Russian

  • Зима (Winter) → зимой (in winter)
  • Весна (Spring) → весной (in spring)
  • Лето (Summer) → летом (in summer)
  • Осень (Autumn) → осенью (in autumn)

Examples

  1. Мы любим кататься на лыжах зимой.
    (We love skiing in winter.)
  2. Весной цветы расцветают.
    (Flowers bloom in spring.)

3. Clock Time

How to Tell the Time

In Russian, time is expressed using hours and minutes with specific cases and constructions.

  • Который час? (What time is it?)
  • Use the nominative case for full hours and genitive singular for minutes.

Examples

  1. Сейчас три часа.
    (It is three o’clock.)
  2. Сейчас пять часов пятнадцать минут.
    (It is 5:15.)

Prepositions with Time

  • Use в + accusative case for specific times.
    Example: В три часа я пойду домой. (At three o’clock, I will go home.)

4. General Time Expressions

Parts of the Day

  • Утро (Morning) → утром (in the morning)
  • День (Day) → днём (in the afternoon)
  • Вечер (Evening) → вечером (in the evening)
  • Ночь (Night) → ночью (at night)

Examples

  1. Я бегаю утром.
    (I run in the morning.)
  2. Мы гуляли ночью.
    (We took a walk at night.)

5. Relative Time Expressions

Common Words

  • Сегодня (Today)
  • Завтра (Tomorrow)
  • Вчера (Yesterday)
  • Сейчас (Now)
  • Позже (Later)
  • Скоро (Soon)
  • Рано (Early)
  • Поздно (Late)

Examples

  1. Сегодня хорошая погода.
    (The weather is good today.)
  2. Завтра я буду занят.
    (I will be busy tomorrow.)

6. Frequency and Duration

Words Indicating Frequency

  • Каждый день (Every day)
  • Один раз в неделю (Once a week)
  • Иногда (Sometimes)
  • Редко (Rarely)
  • Часто (Often)
  • Всегда (Always)

Examples

  1. Я часто хожу в бассейн.
    (I often go to the pool.)
  2. Мы встречаемся один раз в месяц.
    (We meet once a month.)

Expressions of Duration

  • Use the accusative case to indicate duration.
    Example: Я работал весь день. (I worked all day.)

7. Key Prepositions for Time

PrepositionMeaningCaseExample
ВAt/In/OnAccusativeВ два часа (At two o’clock)
НаFor/DuringPrepositionalНа следующий день (On the next day)
КBy (a deadline)DativeК утру (By morning)
ДоUntil/BeforeGenitiveДо вечера (Until evening)
ПослеAfterGenitiveПосле работы (After work)
ЧерезIn (time elapsed)AccusativeЧерез час (In an hour)

8. Summary Table: Common Time Expressions

ExpressionMeaningExample
СейчасNowСейчас три часа. (It is 3 o’clock.)
СегодняTodayСегодня тепло. (It is warm today.)
ЗавтраTomorrowЗавтра будет дождь. (It will rain tomorrow.)
ВчераYesterdayВчера я гулял. (I walked yesterday.)
УтромIn the morningЯ бегал утром. (I ran in the morning.)
ВечеромIn the eveningМы встретимся вечером. (We will meet in the evening.)

Understanding time expressions in Russian enhances your ability to describe daily activities, make plans, and engage in conversations about events. Mastering prepositions, cases, and context-based phrases is crucial for fluency.


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