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 | |
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End-stressed nouns of this class are uncommon. |
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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 | |
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Stem stressed nouns of this type are very common. They include thousands of diminutives that end in ица. |
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Nouns of this type are quite uncommon.