Mnogo and malo: after them the noun answers of what
After mnogo, malo and skolko the noun stands in the of-form: mnogo deneg, malo vremeni, skolko vody. The dictionary form changes quietly. For example: “У нас много денег, но мало времени” — We have a lot of money but little time. A rule from the Russian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
After mnogo, malo and skolko the noun stands in the of-form: mnogo deneg, malo vremeni, skolko vody. The dictionary form changes quietly.
The same happens after khvataet and ne khvataet: khvataet khleba, ne khvataet terpeniya. The question of what is missing? is the clue to the form.
Mnogo itself never changes. All the work falls on the second word, and in the sentence exercises the form assembles itself.
Table
| Helper word | The noun takes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mnogo | deneg | mnogo deneg |
| malo | vremeni | malo vremeni |
| skolko | vody | skolko vody |
| khvataet | khleba | khvataet khleba |
| dostatochno | sakhara | dostatochno sakhara |
By example
- У нас много денег, но мало времениU nas mnogo deneg, no malo vremeniWe have a lot of money but little time
- Хватает хлеба и чая?Khvataet khleba i chaya?Is there enough bread and tea?
- Мне не хватает твоего советаMne ne khvataet tvoego sovetaI miss your advice
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Mnogo deneg: why the of-form?
After mnogo, malo and skolko the noun stands in the of-form: mnogo deneg, malo vremeni, skolko vody. The dictionary form changes quietly.
After mnogo the noun changes?
After mnogo, malo and skolko the noun stands in the of-form: mnogo deneg, malo vremeni, skolko vody. The dictionary form changes quietly.
Khvataet chego: talking amounts?
The same happens after khvataet and ne khvataet: khvataet khleba, ne khvataet terpeniya. The question of what is missing? is the clue to the form.
Skolko vody or skolko vodu?
After mnogo, malo and skolko the noun stands in the of-form: mnogo deneg, malo vremeni, skolko vody. The dictionary form changes quietly.
What does it look like in a Russian example sentence?
“У нас много денег, но мало времени” (U nas mnogo deneg, no malo vremeni) — We have a lot of money but little time. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.