Time expressions in Russian are very useful. Hardly any communication either orally or in writing could go without them. This graphic organizer with different colors can help many of us to memorize and use the expressions properly. If you are a visual learner, these graphic organizers are your keepers.
Calendar Words
The expressions with the “calendar words” such as time of the day, day of the week, month, season, or year use three cases – the instrumental, accusative, and prepositional.
Week. Month. Year
Using such words as “week”, “month” and “year” in the past, present and future tenses require two cases – the prepositional and accusative. Also, unlike English phrases with the words “last”, “this”, and “next”, the equivalent Russian phrases require prepositions «на» or «в».
Only One Usage
Like in English, there are specific time expressions that require only the usage of the present, past or future tense with them. For example,
Вчера́ была́ хоро́шая пого́да. (past - была́)
Сего́дня пого́да то́же хоро́шая. (present – no verb BE in the present!)
И за́втра бу́дет хоро́шая пого́да. (future – бу́дет)
