-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 1
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ь. Via Old East Slavic -ь (-ĭ).
Suffix
-ь • (-ʹ) f
- (forms nouns denoting objects or (usually) abstract concepts from verbs, or occasionally from adjectives)
Declension
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | -ь -ʹ |
-і -i |
| genitive | -і -i |
-ей* -ej* |
| dative | -і -i |
-ям -jam |
| accusative | -ь -ʹ |
-і -i |
| instrumental | -!!ю -!!ju |
-́ями -́jamy |
| locative | -і -i |
-ях -jax |
| vocative | -е -e |
-і -i |
*Etymology 2
!!Stem end doubling
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Etymology tree
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-jь (/Suffix 2/).
Suffix
-ь • (-ʹ) m
- (forms nouns denoting objects or (usually) abstract concepts from nouns, or occasionally from adjectives)
Declension
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | -́ь -́ʹ |
-і́ -í |
| genitive | -я́ -já |
-і́в -ív |
| dative | -е́ві, -ю́ -évi, -jú |
-я́м -jám |
| accusative | -́ь, -я́ -́ʹ, -já |
-і́, -і́в -í, -ív |
| instrumental | -е́м -ém |
-я́ми -jámy |
| locative | -ю́, -і́, -е́ві -jú, -í, -évi |
-я́х -jáx |
| vocative | -ю́ -jú |
-і́ -í |
Derived terms
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.
Derived terms
Etymology 3
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Suffix
-ь • (-ʹ) m or f or n (o-stem)
- genitive/accusative plural of -я (-ja)