Ключ висит на двери.

The key is hanging on the door.

Breakdown of Ключ висит на двери.

• дверь: the door
• на: on
• ключ: the key
• висеть: to hang

Questions & Answers about Ключ висит на двери.

Why is the noun “дверь” changed to “двери” in this sentence?

The noun “дверь” appears as “двери” because it is in the prepositional case. In Russian, when the preposition на is used to indicate a static location (as in “on the door”), the noun must be put into the prepositional form. For feminine nouns ending in -ь, like “дверь”, the prepositional singular typically becomes “двери.”

What does the verb “висит” signify, and why is it chosen here?

“Висит” is the third person singular form of the verb висеть, which means “to hang.” This verb is used to describe the current, static state of the key – that it is suspended or hanging on the door. It emphasizes that the key isn’t just on the door but is hanging from it.

How does the preposition на function in this sentence?

In this context, на indicates location. It shows where the key is situated—specifically, on the door. Unlike some other prepositions that might imply movement or direction, here на combined with the prepositional case simply tells us the static location of the key.

What can we learn about the sentence structure from “Ключ висит на двери”?

The sentence follows a common Russian word order: the subject (Ключ), followed by the predicate (висит), and then a prepositional phrase specifying the location (на двери). Although Russian word order is flexible, this arrangement clearly conveys that the key is the subject that is hanging, and it tells us exactly where it is.

Could another verb be used to express the key’s location, and would that change the meaning?

Yes, you could use a verb like находится to say “Ключ находится на двери.” While both verbs indicate where the key is located, висит specifically emphasizes that the key is suspended or hanging from the door. Using находится would be more neutral, simply stating that the key is on the door without the added visual of it “hanging.”