Generally, with the prepositional case, в means in or at, while на means on or at. When in English you would use “at X place” how can you know whether to use в or на? Some broad tendencies with examples are presented below as a reference. For nouns not listed here, consult your teacher.
Generally, places that have an interior and exterior take the preposition в
| Nominative Case form | Locational Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| апте́ка | в апте́ке | at the pharmacy |
| библиоте́ка | в библиоте́ке | at the library |
| зоопа́рк | в зоопа́рке | at the zoo |
| суперма́ркет | в суперма́ркете | at the supermarket |
| теа́тр | в теа́тре | at the theatre |
| магази́н | в магази́не | at the store |
| музе́й | в музе́е | at the museum |
| мече́ть (fem.) | в мече́ти | at the mosque |
| це́рковь (fem.) | в це́ркви | at church |
| го́род | в го́роде | in the city |
| райо́н | в райо́не | in the neighborhood |
| центр | в це́нтре | downtown |
| кремль (masc.) | в кремле́ | at the kremlin (fortress) |
| дере́вня | в дере́вне | in the village; in the country |
| лес | в лесу́ (details) | in the forest |
| сад | в саду́ (details) | in the garden |
| ко́мната | в ко́мнате | in a room |
| туале́т | в туале́те | in the bathroom |
| столо́вая (like adjective) | в столо́вой | in the dining room, cafeteria |
| ва́нная (like adjective) | в ва́нной | in the bathroom |
| спа́льня | в спа́льне | in the bedroom |
| шко́ла | в шко́ле | at school |
| класс | в кла́ссе | in the classroom; in a grade |
| институ́т | в институ́те | at institute |
| университе́т | в университе́те | at the university |
| аудито́рия | в аудито́рии | in a classroom |
Words that refer to open spaces generally take the preposition на
| Nominative Case Form | Locational Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| мо́ре | на мо́ре | at the sea |
| о́зеро | на о́зере | at the lake |
| Байка́л | на Байка́ле | at Lake Baikal |
| приро́да | на приро́де | in nature |
| река́ | на реке́ | on the river |
| бе́рег | на берегу́ (details) | on the bank (of river) |
| террито́рия | на террито́рии | on the site |
| у́лица | на у́лице | on the street |
| мост | на мосту́ (details) | on the bridge |
| остано́вка авто́буса | на остано́вке авто́буса | at the bus stop |
| ста́нция | на ста́нции | at a station |
| пло́щадь (fem. in –ь) | на пло́щади | on a square |
| балко́н | на балко́не | on the balcony |
| эта́ж | на этаже́ | on the floor (of a building) |
| стадио́н | на стадио́не | at a stadium |
| като́к | на катке́ | at a skating rink |
Some words use на because they figuratively represent open or unbounded space.
| Nominative Case form | Locational Phrase | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| карти́на | на карти́не | in a picture |
| ка́рта | на ка́рте | on a map |
| фотогра́фия | на фотогра́фии | on a photograph |
| да́ча | на да́че | at the country cabin |
| ры́нок | на ры́нке | at the farmers’ market |
| по́чта | на по́чте | at the post-office |
| вокза́л | на вокза́ле | at the train-station |
The nouns expressing the compass points all take на.
| Nominative Case form | Locational Phrase | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| восто́к | на восто́ке | in the east |
| за́пад | на за́паде | in the west |
| се́вер | на се́вере | in the north |
| юг | на ю́ге | in the south |
Words that refer to activities and events generally take the preposition на.
| Nominative Case Form | Locational Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| экску́рсия | на экску́рсии | on an excursion |
| спекта́кль | на спекта́кле | at a show |
| бале́т | на бале́те | at the ballet |
| о́пера | на о́пере | at the opera |
| фильм | на фильме | at a movie |
| вы́ставка | на вы́ставке | at an exhibit |
| конце́рт | на конце́рте | at a concert |
| рабо́та | на рабо́те | at work |
| курс | на ку́рсе | in a course; at a level of study |
| факульте́т | на факульте́те | in the division/department |
| заня́тия (pl. noun) | на заня́тиях | in classes |
| ле́кция | на ле́кции | at a lecture |
| па́ра | на па́ре | in a double class |
| семина́р | на семина́ре | at a seminar |
| уро́к | на уро́ке | in class, at a lesson |
Some words take на because they suggest a place of activity.
| Nominative Case Form | Locational Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| ку́хня | на ку́хне | in the kitchen (the site of activities such as cooking, cleaning, etc.) |
