A2 · Elementary Chapter 27

Relative Clauses

1 Total Rules
10 examples
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Transform simple sentences into descriptive stories by mastering the Russian relative pronoun 'kotoryy'.

  • Identify the correct form of 'kotoryy' based on gender and number.
  • Connect two independent thoughts into one elegant sentence.
  • Describe people and objects using relative clauses.
Connect your world with one powerful word.

What You'll Learn

Connecting ideas with 'kotoryy'. Building complex sentences with relative pronouns.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: build descriptive sentences using 'kotoryy' to modify nouns.

Key Examples (2)

1

Вот девушка, которая мне нравится.

Here is the girl who I like.

Russian Relative Clauses: Using 'Who' and 'Which' (kotoryy)
2

Где ноутбук, который я купил вчера?

Where is the laptop that I bought yesterday?

Russian Relative Clauses: Using 'Who' and 'Which' (kotoryy)

Tips & Tricks (1)

💡

The Comma Rule

In Russian, the comma before 'kotoryy' is non-negotiable. Even if you don't pause in English, put a comma in Russian!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Russian Relative Clauses: Using 'Who' and 'Which' (kotoryy)

Key Vocabulary (5)

который which/who/that книга book друг friend фильм movie интересный interesting

Real-World Preview

film

Recommending a Movie

Review Summary

  • [Noun] + [kotoryy (agrees with noun)] + [rest of clause]

Common Mistakes

Kнига is feminine, so you must use the feminine form 'которую'. Remember to match the gender!

Wrong: Это книга, который я читаю.
Correct: Это книга, которую я читаю.

Relative clauses in Russian should be separated by a comma. It helps the reader pause correctly.

Wrong: Я вижу дом который большой.
Correct: Я вижу дом, который большой.

Друг is masculine, so 'который' is required regardless of the gender of the noun 'music' inside the clause.

Wrong: Это друг, которая любит музыку.
Correct: Это друг, который любит музыку.

Next Steps

You are building a fantastic foundation for Russian fluency. Keep observing how 'kotoryy' appears in the texts you read!

Write a short paragraph about your favorite city using 'kotoryy'.

Continue to: Describing Characteristics

Quick Practice (3)

Fill in the correct form of 'kotoryy'

Eto moy drug, ___ zhivyot v Londone.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kotoryy
'Drug' (friend) is masculine singular, and he is the subject of the second clause.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Russian Relative Clauses: Using 'Who' and 'Which' (kotoryy)

Find the mistake in the gender agreement

Find and fix the mistake:

Vot mashina, kotoryy ya khochu kupit'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vot mashina, kotoruyu ya khochu kupit'.
'Mashina' is feminine. Since it's the object of 'to buy', it must be feminine Accusative: 'kotoruyu'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Russian Relative Clauses: Using 'Who' and 'Which' (kotoryy)

Which sentence is correctly punctuated and declined?

Choose the best sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ya lyublyu gorod, v kotorom ya zhivu.
You need a comma and the prepositional masculine form 'v kotorom' for 'gorod'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Russian Relative Clauses: Using 'Who' and 'Which' (kotoryy)

Score: /3

Common Questions (2)

Only sometimes for objects, but it's safer to use 'kotoryy'. 'Chto' is usually for connecting verbs to facts, while 'kotoryy' describes nouns.
Yes, it is used for both people and things. It translates to both 'who' and 'which'.
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Modal Verb Nuances
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Describing Characteristics
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