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Questions & Answers about Календарь лежит на столе.
Which case is used in bold на столе, and why?
It’s the prepositional case (singular). The preposition на uses the prepositional case to show static location (where something is). The noun стол changes to столе in the prepositional singular.
How do I say onto the table instead of on the table?
Use на with the accusative: на стол. Combine it with a motion/placing verb, e.g. Положи календарь на стол. (Put the calendar onto the table.) Static location takes на столе; movement to a destination takes на стол.
Why use лежит? When would I use стоит or висит?
Russian distinguishes position:
- лежит = is lying (flat/horizontal)
- стоит = is standing (upright/vertical base)
- висит = is hanging (suspended) A wall calendar: Календарь висит на стене. A desk flip calendar: Календарь стоит на столе. A flat calendar lying there: Календарь лежит на столе.
What exactly is лежит grammatically?
It’s 3rd person singular present of the imperfective verb лежать. Russian present covers both English simple and continuous: он лежит = he/it lies / is lying. Past: лежал/лежала/лежало/лежали; future: будет лежать.
Can I change the word order?
Yes. Календарь лежит на столе is neutral (subject first). На столе лежит календарь emphasizes location/content (good when answering “What’s on the table?”). Word order in Russian often signals focus rather than grammar.
Do I need articles like the or a?
Russian has no articles. Календарь can be “the calendar” or “a calendar,” depending on context and word order. Often, subject-first sounds more definite; existential or location-first often sounds more indefinite.
Where is the stress and how do I pronounce it?
Stress: календáрь лежи́т на столé. Tips: жи sounds like “zhi”; ж is always hard (like the s in “measure”); л before е is soft (in ле-), and the final -рь in календарь softens the р.
What gender is календарь?
Masculine, despite the soft sign. Say этот календарь (not эта). Its genitive singular is календаря́.
How do I negate this?
Two common options:
- Existence/availability: На столе нет календаря́. (There is no calendar on the table; note genitive календаря́.)
- Subject-negation: Календарь не лежит на столе. (The calendar is not lying on the table.)
How do I say Calendars are on the table?
Календари́ лежа́т на столе. Plural subject календари́ takes plural verb лежа́т. If you mean on several tables: на столах.
Can I use есть here?
Yes, to emphasize existence/presence: На столе есть календарь. Without есть (На столе календарь) is also possible and common in speech. Календарь есть на столе is unusual unless contrasting.
Why на and not в? What would в столе mean?
На = on (surface). В = in (inside). На столе = on the table; в столе = in the desk (e.g., inside a drawer): Календарь в столе.
Is Календарь находится на столе okay?
Yes, находится means “is located,” so it’s correct but more formal or technical. In everyday speech, лежит/стоит/висит is more natural.
What case is календарь here, and how does it decline?
Here календарь is nominative singular (the subject). Useful singular forms: nominative календарь, genitive календаря́, dative календарю́, accusative календарь, instrumental календарём, prepositional календаре́. Plural nominative: календари́.
I’ve seen на столу. Is that correct?
That’s archaic/regional. Standard modern Russian uses на столе.
How would I ask and answer Where is the calendar?
Ask: Где календарь? Answer: Календарь лежит на столе. If asked “What’s on the table?” (Что на столе?), you’d answer: На столе лежит календарь.
Can I drop the verb and just say Календарь на столе?
Yes. Elliptical Календарь на столе is natural, especially in speech. Using лежит/стоит/висит adds the posture nuance.