Грамматика русского языка. Часть 7. Имя прилагательное. Глава 7. Прилагательные в дательном падеже, единственном числе. Russian Grammar. Part 7. The Adjective. Unit 7. Adjectives in The Dative Singular.

There are special dative singular adjective endings for each gender.

If an adjective is describing a masculine noun which is in the dative singular, then the adjective should end either in ому or eму.


All unstressed adjectives take the ending ому unless their stem ends in ж, ч, ш, щ, ц (spelling rule number 2), in which case the ending is ему: Гид дал паспорт английскому (xopошемy) aктёpy (the guide gave thе passport to the English (good) aсtor).


All stressed adjectives take the ending ому: Он позвонил молодому директору (he rang the young director).

All soft adjectives take the ending ему: Он позвонил прежнему директору (he rang the former director).

All possessive adjectives take the ending ему: Он позвонил моему брату (hе rang my brother).

lf an adjective is describing a feminine noun which is in the dative singular, then the adjective should end either in ой or ей.

All unstressed adjectives take the ending ой unless their stem ends in  ж, ч, ш, щ, ц (spelling rule number 2), in which case the ending is eй: Гид дал паспорт молодой (xopошей) aктриce (the guide gave the passport to the English (good) actress).

All stressed adjectives take the ending ой: Он позвонил молодой англичанке (he rang the young Englishwoman).


All soft adjectives take the ending eй: Он позвонил прежней учительнице (he rang thе former teacher).

All possessive adjectives take the ending eй: Он позвонил моей сестре (he rang my sister).

If an adjective is describing a neuter noun which is in the dative singular, then the adjective should end either in ому or eмy (just like masculine adjectives). In the examples below the preposition к towards/to the house of (which must always be followed by the dative case) is used.

All unstessed adjectives take the ending oмy unless their stem ends in  ж, ч, ш, щ, ц (spelling rule number 2), in which case the ending is eмy: к новому (xopошемy) зданию (towards thе nеw (nice) building).

All stressed adjectives take the ending ему: к большому окну (towards the big window).

All soft adjectives take the ending eмy: к соседнему зданию (towards the neighbouring building).

All possessive adjectives take the ending eмy: к моему месту (towards my seat (place)).