-ь
Russian
Etymology
Inherited from Old East Slavic -ь (-ĭ), from Proto-Slavic *-ь.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ʲ]
Suffix
-ь • (-ʹ) f
- (forms nouns denoting objects or (usually) abstract concepts from verbs, or occasionally from adjectives)
- связа́ть (svjazátʹ, “to tie, to bind”) + -ь (-ʹ) → связь (svjazʹ, “tie, bond”)
- -речь (-rečʹ, “to speak”) (root рек- (rek-)) + -ь (-ʹ) → речь (rečʹ, “speech”)
- записа́ть (zapisátʹ, “to write down”) + -ь (-ʹ) → за́пись (zápisʹ, “writing down, record”)
- накипе́ть (nakipétʹ, “to form a scum”) + -ь (-ʹ) → на́кипь (nákipʹ, “scum”)
- но́вый (nóvyj, “new”) + -ь (-ʹ) → новь (novʹ, “novelty; virgin, unplowed land”)
- зелёный (zeljónyj, “green”) + -ь (-ʹ) → зе́лень (zélenʹ, “greenery, verdure”)
- высо́кий (vysókij, “high”) (root выс- (vys-), cf. comparative вы́ше (výše)) + -ь (-ʹ) → высь (vysʹ, “height(s), high place”)
Usage notes
- In multisyllabic words, the stress retracts onto the first syllable.
- Velars turn into palatals as a result of the Slavic first palatalization, as expected with what was originally a front vowel.
Declension
Derived terms
Russian terms suffixed with -ь
Ukrainian
Etymology
Inherited from Old East Slavic -ь (-ĭ), from Proto-Slavic *-ь.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ ʲ]
Suffix
-ь • (-ʹ) m or f
- (forms nouns denoting objects or (usually) abstract concepts from verbs, or occasionally from adjectives)
Usage notes
- In multisyllabic words, the stress retracts onto the first syllable.
- Velars turn into palatals as a result of the Slavic first palatalization, as expected with what was originally a front vowel.
Declension
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | -́ь -́ʹ |
-і́ -í |
genitive | -я́ -já |
-і́в -ív |
dative | -е́ві, -ю́ -évi, -jú |
-я́м -jám |
accusative | -́ь -́ʹ |
-і́ -í |
instrumental | -е́м -ém |
-я́ми -jámy |
locative | -ю́, -і́ -jú, -í |
-я́х -jáx |
vocative | -ю́ -jú |
-і́ -í |
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | -́(т)ь -́(t)ʹ |
-ті́ -tí |
genitive | -ті́ -tí |
-те́й -téj |
dative | -ті́ -tí |
-тя́м -tjám |
accusative | -́ть -́tʹ |
-ті́ -tí |
instrumental | -ттю -ttju |
-тя́ми -tjámy |
locative | -ті́ -tí |
-тя́х -tjáx |
vocative | -те́ -té |
-ті́ -tí |