Second declension nouns

Stems in ш, щ, ж, ч

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.

Stem stressed

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

End stressed

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 in ц

Stems that end in ц are subject to spelling rule 2, but not to spelling rule 1.

Stem stressed

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.

End stressed

Nouns of this type are quite uncommon.