Breakdown of У каждого есть право работать.
работать
to work
есть
is, there is, to have
каждый
every
право
right; law
Questions & Answers about У каждого есть право работать.
Why does this sentence use каждого instead of a word for "everyone"?
Каждый means "each" or "every", but it is frequently used on its own as a pronoun meaning "everyone" or "each person". Since it follows the preposition у, it takes the Genitive case ending, becoming каждого.
Could we use всех (from все - everyone) here instead?
Yes, you could say У всех есть право работать. The difference is very small. У всех есть looks at "everyone" as a whole group, while у каждого есть emphasizes that each individual in the group has this right.
Why is the word for "right" (право) in the Nominative case rather than the Accusative?
In Russian, the "to have" structure (у ... есть) literally translates to "by someone, something exists." The thing being owned is actually the subject of the sentence, so it stays in the Nominative case. Here, право is the subject that "exists" for everyone.
How does the grammar work for linking право and работать?
It works exactly like English! You can use an infinitive verb (like работать) directly after certain abstract nouns (like право) to describe what the noun is about. Право работать simply means "the right to work".
Learn У каждого есть право работать 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