Unit 5 · Prepositions
Which preposition, which case
You already know the cases. This unit is the pairing: в/на + location vs motion, к/у/от for people, из/с as the «from» mirror, then о, для, через. Each lesson: How it works → Tables → Notes → Exceptions → Examples.
Lessons
Lesson 1
Location vs motion
Где / куда
в and на take two different cases. Prepositional answers «where?» (location). Accusative answers «where to?» (motion toward).
Lesson 2
в vs на
в или на
Both can mean «in / at / on». в is the default for enclosed spaces and most countries. на is for surfaces, events, open areas, and a list of places you just learn.
Lesson 3
к, у, от
к / у / от
People are not в врач. Toward a person is к + dative, being at someone’s is у + genitive, coming from a person is от + genitive.
Lesson 4
из, с, от
из / с / от
Where-from mirrors where-at. Places that take в usually take из. Places that take на usually take с. People and «away from» take от.
Lesson 5
о, для, через
о / для / через
High-frequency leftovers: talking about something (о / про), purpose (для), through or «in X time» (через), plus без, до, после, при.