Understanding the difference between the accusative and nominative cases in Russian is really helpful for asking questions correctly. Here’s an easy guide to help you:

1. Nominative Case

• What it does: This case is used for the subject of a sentence. The subject is the person or thing doing the action.
• Example:
  • Кто был в магазине? (Who was in the store?)
  • Here, Кто (who) is the subject in the nominative case.

2. Accusative Case

• What it does: This case shows the direct object of a verb. The direct object is the person or thing affected by the action.
• Example:
  • Что ты купил? (What did you buy?)
  • In this example, Что (what) is the direct object in the accusative case.

Key Differences in Questions

• Nominative Questions: These questions usually ask who or what the subject is.

  • Example: Кто идёт? (Who is coming?)

• Accusative Questions: These questions focus on what is happening to an object.

  • Example: Кого ты ждёшь? (Whom are you waiting for?)

Practice Sentences

1. Nominative: Кто любит пиццу? (Who likes pizza?)
2. Accusative: Чего ты хочешь? (What do you want?)

By learning these differences, you can ask and understand questions better in Russian. Try making different questions using both cases to practice your skills!