In Russian, adjectives (describing words) must match the nouns (names of things) they go with.

This means they need to agree in three areas:

1. Gender: Is the noun male or female?
2. Number: Is the noun singular (one) or plural (more than one)?
3. Case: How is the noun being used in the sentence?

Let’s take a closer look at the word "старый," which means "old," and see how it changes when we use it with feminine nouns in the accusative case (when the noun is affected by the action).

1. Understanding Gender and Number

• Feminine nouns often end with -а or -я.

  Here are some examples:

  • "книга" means "book"
  • "собака" means "dog"

• When we use these feminine nouns in the accusative case, they keep their endings.

2. Adjective Agreement Rules

When we use "старый" with a feminine noun in the accusative case, it changes.

• The masculine form "старый" changes to "старая" for the feminine form.

3. Accusative Case Transformation

In the accusative case, the adjective "старая" stays the same:

• For example:

  • "Я читаю старую книгу." means "I am reading an old book."

  • "Он видит старую собаку." means "He sees an old dog."

4. Summary of Forms

Here’s a quick summary of the different forms:

• Masculine Noun: старый
• Feminine Noun + Accusative: старая

Comparative and Superlative Forms

• To say "older," we use: "старше"
• The word for "oldest" is: "старейший"

By following these simple rules, you can use "старый" correctly with feminine nouns in the accusative case!