In Russian, there are two common endings that help us turn nouns into adjectives: "-ный" and "-ий." Knowing how to use these endings is really important if you want to get better at the language.

The Suffix "-ный"

The ending "-ный" is added to nouns to make adjectives that show a quality or something that belongs to the noun.

Examples:

• страна (country) → стра́нный (related to the country)
• жена (wife) → женский (related to women)

The Suffix "-ий"

The ending "-ий" usually describes special qualities. It’s often used with certain masculine nouns or some objects.

Examples:

• мир (world) → ми́ровой (about the world)
• город (city) → городской (about cities)

General Rules

1. Use "-ный" when the adjective talks about the main idea or general meaning of the noun.
2. Use "-ий" for adjectives that focus on specific qualities or features.

Practice

Change these nouns into adjectives using the right ending:

1. книга (book) → ***
2. свет (light) → ***
3. осень (autumn) → ***
4. Дон (the Don River) → ***

Answers

1. книга → книжный (related to books)
2. свет → светлый (light-colored)
3. осень → осенний (related to autumn)
4. Дон → донской (related to the Don River)

By learning these endings, you will get better at describing different nouns!