Location

на words

Although the default word for "at" in Russian is в, there are many nouns that are used instead with на. Some of them group into broad categories, and some of them just have to be memorized one at a time. Among the broad categories are:

Classes and other things you attend

на ку́рсеat class
на ле́кцииat a lecture
на пра́ктикеat the practicum
на репети́цииat rehearsal
на семина́реat a seminar
на собра́нииat a meaning
на экза́менеin a test
на бале́теat a ballet
на вы́ставкеat an exhibition
на конце́ртеat a concert
на спекта́клеat a show
на о́переat an opera
на пье́сеat a play
на фи́льмеat a film/move
на заня́тиях*at class

* Note plural form of занятия (sg. занятие). In the meaning of "in/at class" it is only used in the plural.

Things that must simply be memorized

на база́реat the bazaar
на вокза́леat the train station
на да́чеat the summer house
на по́чтеat the post office
на рабо́теat work
на фи́рмеat the company
на ры́нкеat the farmer's market
на дискоте́кеat the disco
на дне рожде́нияat a birthday party
на пра́здникеat the holiday party
на войне́at war
на би́ржеat the stock exchange
на консульта́цииat a tutorial
на куро́ртеat the resort
на скла́деat the warehouse
на заво́деat the plant
на фа́брикеat the factory
на комбина́теat the industrial complex
на ста́нцииat the station
на ку́хне¹in the kitchen
на факульте́теin the department
на кани́кулахon vacation
на экску́рсииon an excursion
на Украи́неin the Ukraine
на Камча́ткеin Kamchatka
на Аля́скеin Alaska

¹ This word is undergoing a shift from being a на word to being a в word.

Points of the compass

на ю́геin the south
на се́вереin the north
на за́падеin the west
на во́стокеin the east

Bodies of water

на Байка́леat/on Lake Baikal
на Во́лгеon the Volga, on the shore of the Volga
на Неве́on the Neva, on the shore of the Neva
на мо́реat the sea, at the seashore
на реке́at the river
на пруду́at the pond
на о́зереat the lake

Mountains and mountain ranges

на Кавка́зеin the Caucusus
на Ура́леin the Urals

Wide, flat places

на о́стровеon the island
на у́лицеon the street
на бульва́реon the boulevard
на проспе́ктеon the avenue
на берегу́on the shore

Rev. 2015-01-27 03:43 PM