Breakdown of На старых форумах было мало пользователей.
старый
old
на
on, at / by (transport) / to (a place) / to (in answer to)
мало
little
быть
to be
форум
forum
пользователь
user
Questions & Answers about На старых форумах было мало пользователей.
Why do we use the endings -ых and -ах in на старых форумах?
This is the Prepositional plural. The preposition на requires the Prepositional case to show location. For plural nouns, this case usually ends in -ах or -ях (like форумах), and for plural adjectives, it ends in -ых or -их (like старых).
How do I know whether to use -ах or -ях for plural nouns in this case?
It depends on whether the noun is hard or soft. Because форум ends in a hard consonant, it takes the hard ending -ах. If the noun ended in a soft sign (-ь), -й, or a soft vowel like -я or -е, it would take the soft ending -ях.
Why is the verb было in the neuter singular form if we are talking about plural forums and users?
What case is пользователей, and why?
It is in the Genitive plural case. Words that express quantity, like мало, force the noun that follows them into the Genitive case. For a masculine noun ending in a soft sign like пользователь, the Genitive plural ending is -ей.
Learn На старых форумах было мало пользователей and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free