Prepositions that We Use with Time Expressions

There are only some prepositions in Russian that are used when talking about time. So, it’s a little easier than in English. But the problem is the cases (the noun change its form in most cases).

So, how do we use prepositions of time? Let’s find out.

Preposition в

We use the preposition в for lots of different times. It’s very common.

Preposition в is always used with precise time:

• в 5 (пять) часов – at 5 o’clock
• в 10 (десять) вечера – at 10 pm
• в 9:30 (девять тридцать) – at 9:30

See Also: Telling the time in Russian

• в полдень – at noon
• в полночь – at midnight

Note. Parts of the day in Russian are used without prepositions. We just change the form of a noun (instrumental case):

вечер – вечером (in the evening)

день – днём (in the daytime, in the afternoon)

утро – утром (in the morning)

ночь – ночью (at night)

With days of the week and concrete days:

• в понедельник – on Monday
• во вторник – on Tuesday
• в среду – on Wednesday
• в воскресенье – on Sunday
• в день рождения – on the day of birth
• в воскресный день – on Sunday
• в один прекрасный день – one fine day

Months (prepositional case):

• в январе – in January
• в феврале – in February
• в марте – in March
• в ноябре – in November

And years:

• в 1990 году – in 1990
• в 85-м – in 85
• в 90-х – in the 1990s
• в 20-м веке – in the 20th century

Remember these time expressions:

в этот (данный) момент (at the moment), в этот день (on this day), в этом/следующем месяце (this month/last month), в этом/прошлом году (this/last year), в прошлом (in the past)

Preposition на

This preposition is rarely used with time expressions. But there are some examples:

• на рассвете – at sunrise
• на закате – at sunset
• на заре – at dawn

Preposition через

We use the preposition через if something happens after some time.

• через десять минут – in 10 minutes
• через два часа – in two hours
• через неделю – in a week
• через три месяца – in 3 months
• через полгода – in six months
• через год – in a year
• через пять лет – in five years

See Also: Adverbs of Time in Russian

When we use во время

Во время means during. It’s used with the genitive case.

• во время долгой прогулки – during a long walk
• во время урожайного сезона – during harvesting season
• во время работы – at (during) work
• во время обеда – at (during) lunch

We can also use preposition за with meals:

• за ужином – at dinner
• за завтраком – at breakfast
• за обедом – at lunch

Video version of this lesson is here: