Spatial Prepositions with the Instrumental Case
To describe exactly where things are located, Russian uses four key spatial prepositions. When describing a static location (answering "where?"), all four take the Instrumental case.
As a refresher on Instrumental noun endings: masculine and neuter nouns take -ом or -ем (ковёр → ковром), while most feminine nouns change -а to -ой (тумбочка → тумбочкой).
ПОД (Under)
Use под for "under" or "beneath".
| The cat is hiding under the rug. | Кот прячется под ковром. |
| Is your bag under the nightstand? — No. | Твоя сумка под тумбочкой? — Нет. |
НАД (Above)
The preposition над means "above" or "over". You will often use it with the verb висеть (to hang) when discussing interior decor.
Feminine nouns ending in a soft sign (-ь), like кровать (bed), take the Instrumental ending -ью (кроватью).
| A picture is hanging above the bed. | Над кроватью висит картина. |
| A beautiful lamp is hanging above the table. | Над столом висит красивая лампа. |
ПЕРЕД (In Front Of)
Use перед to say something is "in front of" an object.
| There is a comfortable armchair in front of the nightstand. | Перед тумбочкой — удобное кресло. |
| We are here, in front of the fence. | Мы здесь, перед забором. |
ЗА (Behind)
Use за to say something is "behind" an object.
| She is not behind the curtain. | Её нет за шторой. |
| Someone is hiding behind the sofa. | Кто-то прячется за диваном. |
You can combine these prepositions to describe exactly what is happening in a room:
| The cat is hiding behind the curtain, and the mouse is sitting under the rug. | Кот прячется за шторой, а мышь сидит под ковром. |
