The Genitive Case: Possession, Absence, and More
The Genitive case indicates possession (like 'of' or 's), absence (with безъ - without), origin (with и҆зъ/съ - from), or location at/having ('at' or 'have' with оу҆). Its primary role is showing belonging or relation, or being required by certain prepositions. Church Slavonic has singular, dual, and plural forms for the Genitive case.
Nouns: Endings vary based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -а, soft -ꙗ. (e.g., до́мъ бра́та - brother's house, кни́га о҆тца̀ - father's book, о҆кно̀ села̀ - village window, цвѣ́тъ по́лѧ - field flower)
- Singular Feminine: hard -ы or -е́, soft -ѣ́. (e.g., кни́га сестры̀ - sister's book, гла́съ землѝ - voice of the earth)
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -оу. (e.g., до́ма бра́тоу - of two brothers, сестрѣ́ сестроу - of two sisters)
- Plural (all genders): Varies, often -овъ or -є́въ (masculine hard/soft), or a zero ending (feminine and neuter). (e.g., до́мъ бра́товъ - of brothers, кни́га о҆тцє́въ - of fathers, кни́га же́нъ∅ - of women, о҆кно̀ се́лъ∅ - of villages)
Adjectives (Short/Indefinite):
- Singular (all genders): hard -а, soft -ѧ. (e.g., до́мъ до́бра бра́та - house of a good brother, кни́га но́выѧ оучи́тельницѣ - book of a new female teacher, о҆кно̀ сíнѧ мо́рѧ - window of the blue sea)
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -оу. (e.g., до́бра бра́тоу - of two good brothers, си́ноу о́чима - of two blue eyes)
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -ъ. (e.g., до́мъ до́бръ бра́тъ - house of good brothers, кни́га си́нихъ - of blue ones)
Prepositions: Used after безъ (without), и҆зъ/съ (from), о҆тъ (from), оу҆ (at/by/have), and others like до (to/until).
Examples: Сіѐ є҆́сть дѣ́ло моего́ о҆тца̀ (This is my father's work). А́зъ є҆́смь и҆зъ гра́да (I am from the city). Оу҆ мене́ є҆́сть часо́вникъ (I have a watch - literally "At me there is a watch"). О́ни идꙋ́тъ безъ воды̀ (They are going without water). Ви́дѣхъ мно́го кра́сныхъ же́нъ (I saw many beautiful women).