Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Они знают историю.
Why does the word for history end in -ю here (историю)?
Because it is the direct object of the verb (the thing that they know), so it must be in the Accusative case. The dictionary form is история, which is a feminine noun. For feminine nouns ending in -я, the ending changes to -ю in the Accusative case. Remember that for feminine nouns, this change happens even when the object is inanimate (not alive).
Can историю mean "the story" instead of "history"?
Yes! The Russian word история translates to both "history" and "story". Depending on the conversation's context, this sentence could just as easily mean "They know the story."
Why does the verb знают end in -ют?
This is the present tense verb ending for они (they). The base form of the verb is знать (to know). For most regular Russian verbs ending in -ать, you drop the -ть and add -ют to make the "they" form.
Is there a word for "the" missing before историю?
No, Russian simply does not have articles like "the", "a", or "an". You just use the noun by itself, and listeners use context to figure out if you mean "history" in general or "the story" specifically.