Russian stems that end in sibilants have slightly different endings depending on whether they are end stressed or stem stressed because they are subject to a spelling rule:
Spelling rule 2: After ж, ч, ш, щ, and ц— never write an unstressed о, instead use е.
One cannot tell if a noun is end stressed or stem stressed simply by looking at the nominative singular. The stress patterns have to be memorized on a case by case basis. When in doubt, assume the noun is stem stressed, which is true for the vast majority of nouns. Also bear in mind that spelling rule 1 applies to four of the sibilants as well. Many fonts do not display accents well, so for these pages to look their best, please download one of these fonts.
Inanimate | Animate | ||||
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | ||
Nominative | прода́жа | прода́жи | секрета́рша | секрета́рши | |
Accusative | прода́жу | прода́жи | секрета́ршу | секрета́рш | |
Genitive | прода́жи | прода́ж | секрета́рши | секрета́рш | |
Prepositional | прода́же | прода́жах | секрета́рше | секрета́ршах | |
Dative | прода́же | прода́жам | секрета́рше | секрета́ршам | |
Instrumental | прода́жей | прода́жами | секрета́ршей | секрета́ршами |
Inanimate | Animate | ||||
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | ||
Nominative | парча́ | парчи́ | левша́ | левши́ | |
Accusative | парчу́ | парчи́ | левшу́ | левше́й | |
Genitive | парчи́ | парче́й | левши́ | левше́й | |
Prepositional | парче́ | парча́х | левше́ | левша́х | |
Dative | парче́ | парча́м | левше́ | левша́м | |
Instrumental | парчо́й | парча́ми | левшо́й | левша́ми | |
End-stressed nouns of this class are uncommon. |
Stems that end in ц are subject to spelling rule 2, but not to spelling rule 1.
Inanimate | > | Animate | |||
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | ||
Nominative | мы́шца | мы́шцы | волчи́ца | волчи́цы | |
Accusative | мы́шцу | мы́шцы | волчи́цу | волчи́ц | |
Genitive | мы́шцы | мышц | волчи́цы | волчи́ц | |
Prepositional | мы́шце | мы́шцах | волчи́це | волчи́цах | |
Dative | мы́шце | мы́шцам | волчи́це | волчи́цам | |
Instrumental | мы́шцей | мы́шцами | волчи́цей | волчи́цами | |
Stem stressed nouns of this type are very common. They include thousands of diminutives that end in ица. |
Nouns of this type are quite uncommon.