Welcome to the course!
This grammar explanation will be quite thorough, which is essential for understanding the Church Slavonic language. Church Slavonic is a venerable liturgical language with features inherited from Old Church Slavonic, including a richer case system and dual number, which differ from most modern Slavic languages. Understanding its structure is key.
Conjugation of 'бы́ти' (To Be)
The verb "to be" (бы́ти) is essential for talking about existence or identity. Its present tense forms are used to say "I am," "you are," "he is," etc., or to indicate where something is located. Church Slavonic has singular, dual (for two), and plural forms in the present tense.
Singular:
- А́зъ е҆́смь (I am)
- Тꙑ̀ е҆сѝ (You are)
- То́й/Та̀/То̀ е҆́сть (He/She/It is)
Dual:
- Вѣ̀ е҆свѣ̀ (We two are)
- Въі е҆ста̀ (You two are)
- О́нѣ/Та̀ е҆стѣ̀ (They two are - masc/neuter / They two are - fem)
Plural:
- Мꙑ̀ е҆смы̀ (We are)
- Вꙑ̀ е҆стѐ (You are)
- О́ни/Та̀ сꙋ́ть (They are - masc/neuter / They are - fem)
Examples: А́зъ е҆́смь ра́бъ (I am a servant). Та̀ е҆́сть добра̀ (She is good). Мꙑ̀ е҆смы̀ до́бри ра́би (We are good servants). О́ни сꙋ́ть здѣ̀ (They are here).
How to Determine the Gender of a Word
Church Slavonic nouns belong to one of three genders: Masculine, Feminine, or Neuter. Knowing the gender is crucial because it affects the endings of adjectives and other words used with the noun, as well as noun declension patterns. Generally, the gender is evident from the noun's ending in its basic form (nominative singular):
- Masculine: Most nouns ending in a hard or soft consonant are masculine (e.g., до́мъ - house, сто́лъ - table, о҆те́цъ - father, мꙋ́жъ - man).
- Feminine: Most nouns ending in -а or -ꙗ (after a soft consonant or vowel) are feminine (e.g., жена̀ - woman, кни́га - book, землѧ̀ - earth/land). Some nouns ending in a consonant are feminine (e.g., но́щь - night).
- Neuter: Most nouns ending in -о or -е are neuter (e.g., село̀ - village, мо́ре - sea).
- Keep in mind: There are some exceptions to these rules, especially with consonant-ending feminine nouns, where gender needs to be memorized.
The Nominative Case: The Subject and Naming
The Nominative case is the basic form of a noun or adjective, primarily used for the subject of a sentence (who or what performs the action) or simply to name things. This is the form you will find words in dictionaries.
Nouns: Singular, dual, and plural forms vary based on gender and declension class.
- Hard Masculine Examples: Sg: до́мъ. Du: до́ма. Pl: до́ми.
- Soft Masculine Examples: Sg: мꙋ́жъ. Du: мꙋ́жа. Pl: мꙋ́жи.
- Feminine Examples: Sg: жена̀. Du: женѣ̀. Pl: же́ны. Sg: но́щь. Du: но́щи. Pl: но́щи.
- Neuter Examples: Sg: село̀. Du: селѣ̀. Pl: се́ла.
Adjectives: Agree in gender, number (singular, dual, plural), and case with the noun they describe. Church Slavonic adjectives have different endings for hard (ь-stem) and soft (j-stem) stems, and also distinguish between short (indefinite) and long (definite) forms. Here we show the short/indefinite forms in the nominative.
- Hard Stem Examples: Sg: до́бръ (m), добра̀ (f), до́бро (n). Du: до́бра (m/n), до́брѣ (f). Pl: до́бри (m), до́бры (f), до́бра (n).
- Soft Stem Examples: Sg: сíнїи (m), сíнѧѧ (f), сíнѣе (n). Du: сíнѧѧ (m/n), сíнїи (f). Pl: сíнїи (m), сíнѧѧ (f/n).
Examples: До́бръ до́мъ є҆́сть ста́ръ (A good house is old). Сíнѣе мо́ре є҆́сть велико (The blue sea is big). Кра́сны же́ны гово́рѧтъ (Beautiful women are speaking). ѩ́гньчии гла́съ є҆́сть то́нъ (A lamb's voice is thin).
Demonstrative Pronouns (Nominative) and Why Use Them
Demonstrative pronouns help us specify particular nouns, similar to using "this" or "that." In the Nominative case, they also match the gender and number (singular, dual, plural) of the noun they refer to. Using them helps you specify exactly which item you mean from a group.
- Singular: се́й (m), сїѧ̀ (f), сіѐ (n) - (this) / то́й (m), та̀ (f), то̀ (n) - (that - often referring to something already mentioned or less specific)
- Dual: сїѧ̑ (m/n), сѝи (f) - (these two) / та́ (m/n), тѣ́ (f) - (those two)
- Plural: сѝи (m), сꙗ̑ (f/n) - (these) / тѝи (m), тꙗ̑ (f/n) - (those)
- Examples: Се́й до́мъ є҆́сть велі́къ (This house is big). Сїѧ̀ кни́га є҆́сть моѧ̀ (This book is mine). Сіѐ село̀ є҆́сть на́ше (This village is ours). Сѝи лю́діє сꙋ́ть весе́ли (These people are cheerful).