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Russian Neuter Nouns

Grammar --> Russian gender --> Neuter Nouns

Russian neuter nouns may end in a vowel or a consonant (rare). The vast majority of declinable neuter nouns end in -о, -е or -ё. There are 12 nouns that end in -я. Neuter nouns that end in other letters are, as a rule, indeclinable nouns borrowed from other languages.

Neuter nouns ending in a consonant

Neuter nouns ending in a consonant are rare, they may be indeclinable nouns denoting names of lakes borrowed from other languages. They are neuter, because the generic word озеро lake is neuter in Russian.

Neuter nouns ending in a vowel

1. The vast majority of nouns ending in -е, -о, -ё, except those that are described in Masculine Nouns, and Feminine Nouns.

2. Some nouns ending in -a, which are indeclinable nouns borrowed from other languages and denote nonliving objects. In such instances, consultation with dictionary is recommended to ascertain their gender.

3. The following nouns ending in -я:

- 11 nouns ending in -мя: бремя burden, время time, вымя udder, знамя banner, flag, племя tribe, имя name, пламя flame, полымя flame (archaic), семя seed, semen, стремя stirrup, темя cinciput

- noun дитя child

4. Nouns ending in -и, -у, -ю, -э which are indeclinable nouns borrowed from other languages and denote nonliving objects.