Russian Gender — Clear Guide + Examples

Russian Gender: the clear guide (masculine • feminine • neuter)

A compact, practical page you can actually use. Russian has three grammatical genders (m, f, n). They matter for nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and the past tense of verbs. Master these patterns and most "m/f/n?" decisions become automatic.

Quick start (80% of results fast)

-а / -я → feminine: кни́га (book), неде́ля (week), тетра́дь (notebook) — see -ь below.

Consonant or -й → masculine: дом (house), чай (tea), учи́тель (teacher) — see -ь below.

-о / -е / -ё → neuter: окно́ (window), мо́ре (sea), пла́тье (dress).

-ь (soft sign) → check a dictionary. Common patterns:

masc -ь: день (day), гость (guest), путь (way/path), дождь (rain), слова́рь (dictionary)
fem -ь: ночь (night), мышь (mouse), тетра́дь (notebook), дверь (door), пло́щадь (square), любо́вь (love)

People by meaning override endings: па́па (dad), дя́дя (uncle), мужчи́на (man) are masc; де́вочка (girl), же́нщина (woman) are fem.

Loanwords ending in -о/-е/-и/-у/-ю/-й (indeclinable) are usually neuter: кино́ (cinema/film), метро́ (metro/subway), пальто́ (coat), такси́ (taxi), меню́ (menu).

Ко́фе (coffee) is traditionally masculine; colloquial neuter occurs but is avoided in formal style.

Working toward B2? A gentle visual boost helps. Explore 6,600 illustrated words that make gender agreement feel natural — not memorized.

Agreement you'll use every day

Adjectives (Nominative Singular)

Masculine

но́вый дом
(new house)

си́ний ча́йник
(blue kettle)

Feminine

но́вая кни́га
(new book)

си́няя мышь
(blue mouse)

Neuter

но́вое окно́
(new window)

си́нее мо́ре
(blue sea)

Plural: но́вые кни́ги (new books); си́ние кни́ги (blue books)

Demonstratives & possessives

э́тот / э́та / э́то / э́ти — this (m/f/n) / these
мой / моя́ / моё / мои́ — my (m/f/n/pl)
твой / твоя́ / твоё / твои́ — your (sg)
наш / на́ша / на́ше / на́ши — our (m/f/n/pl)

Past tense of verbs

Masculine: он писа́л (he wrote)

Feminine: она́ писа́ла (she wrote)

Neuter: оно́ писа́ло (it wrote)

Plural: они́ писа́ли (they wrote)

If the subject is plural, gender disappears: Кни́ги бы́ли но́вые (The books were new).

With compound predicates, agreement follows the logical subject: Пробле́ма была́ решена́ (The problem was solved). (пробле́ма is fem → была́.)

Five fast tests to guess gender

Ending test: -а/-я (f), consonant/-й (m), -о/-е/-ё (n).
Meaning test (humans): male roles → (m), female roles → (f) regardless of ending.
Soft‑sign test: memorize top -ь lists (see above).
Loanword test: indeclinables — кино́, метро́, такси́ (cinema, metro, taxi) → usually neuter; ко́фе (coffee) → masculine (formal).
Adjective echo: try э́тот/э́та/э́то (this m/f/n): which one "sounds right"? Native patterns guide you.

Case & gender moments that actually trip learners

Accusative animate masculine = Genitive: Я ви́жу бра́та (I see my brother). Feminine keeps the "-у/-ю": кни́гу (book, acc. sg.); neuter stays окно́ (window, acc. sg.).
After numbers: agreement can shift; learn set phrases: два но́вых сту́ла (two new chairs), пять но́вых книг (five new books). (Plural adjectives; noun forms vary.)
Professions & titles: врач (doctor), ме́неджер (manager), профе́ссор (professor) are masculine by default; feminine forms exist in style‑dependent ways.

Irregular classics:

путь — masc (way/path; soft‑sign masculine, 3rd declension)
вре́мя, и́мя, пла́мя, зна́мя, се́мя, бре́мя, пле́мя, стре́мя, те́мя — neuter with special patterns
ко́фе — masc (coffee; formal norm)
па́па, дя́дя — masc (dad, uncle) despite -а

Minimal pairs (see the agreement shift)

Э́тот молодо́й врач — э́та молода́я врач (this young male doctor — this young female doctor)

Мой но́вый телефо́н — моя́ но́вая кни́га — моё но́вое письмо́ (my new phone — my new book — my new letter)

Он был рад — она́ была́ ра́да — оно́ бы́ло радо — они́ бы́ли ра́ды (he was glad — she was glad — it was glad — they were glad)

12 high‑frequency nouns to memorize by gender

Masculine

день (day)
гость (guest)
дождь (rain)
учи́тель (teacher)
князь (prince)
ко́фе (coffee)

Feminine

ночь (night)
мышь (mouse)
тетра́дь (notebook)
любо́вь (love)
пло́щадь (square)
дверь (door)

Neuter

вре́мя (time)
мо́ре (sea)
пла́тье (dress)
окно́ (window)
кино́ (cinema/film)
пальто́ (coat)

💡 Tip: Make a tiny "-ь deck": split your -ь nouns into masc and fem piles and review for 3 minutes a day.

Micro‑practice (answers below)

1. Choose э́тот/э́та/э́то: ___ стол (table), ___ пло́щадь (square), ___ пальто́ (coat).

2. Make the adjective agree: нов__ го́род (new city); син__ мышь (blue mouse); тёпл__ мо́ре (warm sea).

3. Past tense: Ка́тя (чита́ть) — … (Katya (to read) — …); письмо́ (пропа́сть) — … (letter (to disappear) — …).

4. Animate accusative: Я ви́жу (брат) — … (I see (brother) — …); Я ви́жу (кот) — … (I see (tomcat) — …).

5. Fix one error: Э́то мой но́вая кни́га (This is my new book).

Answers:

1. э́тот стол, э́та пло́щадь, э́то пальто́

2. но́вый; си́няя; тёплое

3. Ка́тя чита́ла; письмо́ пропа́ло

4. бра́та; кота́

5. моя́ но́вая кни́га

FAQ

Is "ко́фе" masculine or neuter?

Masculine in formal/standard use. Neuter occurs colloquially; avoid it in exams and formal writing.

How do I know the gender of -ь nouns?

Memorize common sets and watch adjective/pronoun agreement in real examples.

Do plurals have gender?

No. Plurals use plural agreement: но́вые кни́ги бы́ли интере́сны (the new books were interesting).

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