Questions & Answers about Из верхних окон мы видим море.
Why does the adjective верхних end in -их instead of -ых?
The preposition из (from/out of) requires the Genitive case. Since we are talking about plural windows, we need the Genitive plural. The standard Genitive plural ending for adjectives is -ых, but the dictionary form here is верхний (upper). Because its stem ends in х, the 7-letter spelling rule kicks in: never write ы after г, к, х, ж, ч, ш, щ. Therefore, the ending must be -их.
Why does the word for windows look like окон here? Where is the ending?
This is the Genitive plural form of the neuter noun окно (window). Neuter nouns ending in -о usually drop that final vowel in the Genitive plural, leaving a zero ending. That leaves the consonant cluster окн, which is hard to pronounce. To fix this, Russian inserts a fleeting vowel (an extra о) between the consonants, resulting in окон.
Is море in the Nominative case here?
It is actually in the Accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb видим (we see). However, море (sea) is a neuter inanimate noun, and for neuter nouns, the Accusative form is identical to the Nominative dictionary form.
Why do we use the preposition из for from here instead of с or от?
The preposition из specifically means out of or from inside an enclosed space. Because you are looking outward from inside the building through the windows, из is the most precise and natural choice. Like most prepositions meaning from, it forces the following words into the Genitive case.
Learn Из верхних окон мы видим море 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