Russian Prepositions and Cases: Which Case Does Each Preposition Take?

из — from inside a place: из России (from Russia), из дома (from the house), из школы (from school). с — from off a surface: с полки (from the shelf), с работы (from work — colloquial), с крыши (from the roof). от — from a person or as a source: от друга (from a friend), от врача (from the doctor), от боли (from pain). Key distinction: из vs. от — из is for places (interior); от is for people and sources. Я вернулся из Москвы (I returned from Moscow — a place) vs. Я получил письмо от Ивана (I received a letter from Ivan — a person).

до — until / before: до урока (before the lesson), до свидания (goodbye — until the meeting). после — after: после работы (after work), после дождя (after rain). с … до — from … until: с утра до вечера (from morning until evening).

у — at/near/by (proximity): у окна (by the window), у меня (at my place / I have). около — near/around: около школы (near the school), около часа (about an hour). вокруг — around (encircling): вокруг стола (around the table), вокруг города (around the city). вдоль — along: вдоль реки (along the river), вдоль дороги (along the road). мимо — past/by: мимо нас (past us), пройти мимо (to walk past). напротив — opposite/across from: напротив банка (across from the bank).

К expresses movement or orientation toward a person, object, or abstract goal — it is the dative counterpart of в/на for direction: к врачу (to the doctor), к другу (to a friend's place), к окну (to/toward the window), стремиться к цели (to strive toward a goal) — abstract direction.

Along/around a surface: гулять по парку (to walk around the park), идти по улице (to walk along the street). Means of communication: по телефону (by phone), по почте (by mail), по интернету (online). Field/subject: урок по математике (math lesson), книга по истории (history book). Recurring time: по понедельникам (on Mondays), по вечерам (in the evenings). According to: по закону (according to the law), по правилам (by the rules).

В and на are the primary accusative prepositions for direction. The same contrast applies as for location (see dual-case table above), but here they express motion. В = motion into an enclosed space: в школу, в Россию, в магазин. НА = motion onto a surface or to certain locations: на стол, на работу, на Кубу.

Across/through: переплыть через реку (to swim across the river), пройти через лес (to walk through the forest). In (time): через час (in an hour), через неделю (in a week), через год (in a year).

За + accusative = motion to behind: зайти за угол (go around the corner), сесть за стол (sit down at the table). Под + accusative = motion under: положить под стол (put under the table), залезть под кровать (crawl under the bed).

С + instrumental is one of the most frequent constructions in Russian. It expresses: Accompaniment: с другом (with a friend), с семьёй (with the family). Ingredients/components: кофе с молоком (coffee with milk), суп с грибами (mushroom soup).

За + instrumental = position behind/at: за столом (at the table), за горой (behind the mountain). Перед + instrumental = in front of: перед домом (in front of the house), перед сном (before sleep — temporal). Над + instrumental = above/over: над городом (above the city), над столом (over the table). Под + instrumental = below (position): под столом (under the table), под землёй (underground). Между + instrumental = between: между нами (between us), между домами (between the houses).

В and на with the prepositional case express static location — where something already is, as opposed to direction: В (in/inside): в Москве, в школе, в доме, в России. НА (on/at): на столе, на работе, на улице, на Кубе.

О + prepositional expresses the topic of mental or communicative engagement: говорить о (to talk about), думать о (to think about), мечтать о (to dream about), писать о (to write about). О чём? = About what? | О ком? = About whom? Use об before vowels: об этом (about this), об Иване (about Ivan).

Rather than learning each preposition individually, learn them in case clusters. This reinforces the case system at the same time. Start with the genitive cluster (без, до, из, у, от, после, для, кроме) and drill until it's automatic before moving to dative (к, по).

For each preposition, create one memorable personal sentence using it correctly. Your own examples are far more memorable than textbook examples. Без тебя мне плохо (I feel bad without you) will stick longer than без + noun.

В, на, за, and под each take two cases. Create paired sentences for each: Я иду в школу (going, accusative) / Я в школе (being there, prepositional). Я поставил книгу за шкаф (accusative) / Книга за шкафом (instrumental). Learn the pairs together.

For в and на: ask yourself — is this answering "Where?" (prepositional) or "Where to?" (accusative)? This single question eliminates the most common preposition-case error.