Breakdown of Вы можете принести кусочек сахару или ложку мёду?
вы
you (plural or formal)
сахар
sugar
мёд
honey
мочь
to be able to
Questions & Answers about Вы можете принести кусочек сахару или ложку мёду?
Why do сахар and мёд end in -у here (сахару, мёду) instead of their usual genitive endings -а?
This is the Partitive Genitive, sometimes called the Second Genitive. It is a special form used to indicate a specific quantity or a part of a mass or uncountable noun. When you ask for a portion of certain masculine substances, they often take the -у or -ю ending instead of the standard -а or -я.
Can I just use the regular genitive and say кусочек сахара and ложку мёда?
Does this special -у ending apply to all uncountable nouns when asking for a quantity?
No, it is only an option for certain masculine nouns, typically foods, drinks, or materials (like чай becoming чаю, or сыр becoming сыру). Feminine and neuter uncountable nouns just use their standard genitive forms. For example, a glass of water is always стакан воды, never using an -у ending.
Why doesn't the word кусочек change its ending, while ложка changes to ложку?