Breakdown of Накануне десятого октября 2000-го года они объявили о создании фонда.
они
they
о
about (о, об, обо)
год
year
октябрь
October
десятый
tenth
фонд
the foundation
объявить
to announce (pf)
создание
creation
двухтысячный
two thousandth
накануне
on the eve
Questions & Answers about Накануне десятого октября 2000-го года они объявили о создании фонда.
Why is the whole date phrase in the Genitive case (десятого октября 2000-го года)?
When stating that an event happened on a specific full date (day, month, year), Russian uses the Genitive case for the ordinal day, the month, and the ordinal year. You don't need a preposition like "on". Also, the preposition накануне (on the eve of) requires the Genitive case anyway, which reinforces the rule here!
How do you read aloud the year 2000-го?
It is pronounced двухтысячного (the Genitive form of двухтысячный). For exact thousands like the year 2000, Russian makes it one compound word. The -го ending acts as a hint that this ordinal number needs its Genitive ending.
Why does создании end in -ии instead of the usual Prepositional -е?
The dictionary form is создание (creation), which ends in -ие. Neuter nouns ending in -ие are a special exception: in the Prepositional case (triggered here by the preposition о), they always take the ending -ии rather than -е.
Is накануне a preposition here?
Yes! Накануне means "on the eve of" or "the day before". When it connects to a noun or a date like it does here, it acts as a preposition and always demands the Genitive case.
Why is фонда in the Genitive case at the end of the sentence?
It shows possession or relation, answering the question "creation of what?". The masculine noun фонд (fund) takes the Genitive ending -а to act just like "of the fund" does in English.
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