How to use Russian prepositions of place?

In Russian, в[v] means “in” or “inside” while на[na] means “on” or “on top of.” Both prepositions are followed by the prepositional case.

в[v](in) + prepositional	на[na](on) + prepositional

Here are a few examples:

It is not always a straightforward, one-to-one translation though! Many expressions that you say with “in” in English are said using на[on] in Russian, and vice versa. And sometimes we might translate either of these prepositions using the word “at” instead. For example:

To learn more about when to use each one, check out our post on на vs. в in Russian!

In Russian, there are three synonymous prepositions — у[oo], около[Okala], and возле[VOZlye] — that all mean “next to,” “near,” or “by,” though y[oo] implies somewhat closer proximity. All three are followed by the genitive case. It is also possible to express this concept using the phrase рядом с[RYAdam s] before the instrumental case.

“by” / “beside” / “next to” / “near”
y[oo] + genitive	около[Okala] + genitive	возле[VOZlye] + genitive	рядом с[RYAdam s] + instrumental

Here is an example of how you can use the prepositions before the genitive case:

The preposition y is frequently used before the names or titles of people to imply that you are discussing their house, office, shop, etc., for example:

And here is an example of the use of рядом с:

In Russian, the words вдоль[vdol], поперёк[papiRYOK], and вокруг[vaKROOK], mean “along,” “across,” and “around.” All three are followed by the genitive case.

The words вдоль[vdol](along) and поперёк[papiRYOK](across) are opposites. Use вокруг for something parallel to a long object, and поперёк to something that is perpendicular to a long object.

вдоль[vdol](along) + genitive	поперёк[papiRYOK](across) + genitive

For instance:

The preposition вокруг[vaKROOK](around) is used when something completely surrounds an object.

вокруг[vaKROOK](around) + genitive

For example:

The Russian phrases that mean “far from,” “left of,” and “right of” all end in the preposition от[at](from) before the genitive case. We put this preposition together with adverbs to create a range of different meanings.

далеко от[daliKO at](far from) + genitive	близко от[BLEESka at](close to) + genitive
слева от[SLYEva at](left of) + genitive	справа от[SPRAva at](right of) + genitive

For instance:

The Russian preposition напротив[naPROtif] means “opposite” or “across from.” It should be followed by the genitive case, as well.

напротив[naPROtif](opposite, across from) + genitive

For example:

In Russian, the words перед[PYErit], за[za], and между[MYEZHdoo] mean “in front of,” “behind,” and “between,” respectively. All three are used before nouns in the instrumental case.

перед[PYErit](in front of) + instrumental	за[za](behind) + instrumental
между[MYEZHdoo](between) + instrumental

For example:

In Russian, the words for “over” and “under” are над[nat](above, over) and под[pat](under). Both are used before the instrumental case.

над[nat](over) + instrumental	под[pat](under) + instrumental

For example:

When you want to describe movement that is happening “along,” “down,” or “up” a path or “around on/in/at” a location in Russian, you’ll use the preposition по[pa] before the dative case.

по[pa] + dative
“along” or “down”	“around (on/at/in)”
dative case ехать по улице YEkhat pa OOlitse to go down the street подниматься по лестнице padniMAtsa pa LYEsnitse to go up the stairs	dative case Гулять по лесу gooLYAT pa LYEsoo to walk around/in the forest плыть по озеру plyt pa Oziroo to sail on the lake Ходить по комнате khaDEET pa KOMnatye to walk around the room Путешествовать по стране pootiSHEstvavat pa straNYE to travel around a country