Abstract Nouns in -ост / -ство

Abstract Nouns

Level 4Sounds Like apstraktni imenki: -ost; -stvo

-ост and -ство make nouns for ideas: млад → младост (youth), пријател → пријателство (friendship), дете → детство (childhood). Младоста брзо поминува. (Youth passes quickly.)

How It Works

-ост (feminine). Usually from adjectives:

  • млад → младост (youth)
  • слаб → слабост (weakness)
  • мудар → мудрост (wisdom)
  • можен → можност (possibility, chance)
  • горд → гордост (pride)

Notice that the е or а of можен and мудар drops, as in adjectives with a disappearing vowel. These nouns work like other feminine nouns ending in a consonant: можноста, plural можности. See feminine nouns ending in a consonant.

-ство (neuter). From nouns and adjectives:

  • пријател → пријателство (friendship)
  • дете → детство (childhood)
  • брат → братство (brotherhood)
  • богат → богатство (wealth)

They take -то and neuter agreement: Пријателството е важно.

Other endings. -ина also names qualities: должина (length), тишина (silence). For an activity, use the verbal noun in -ње; see verbal nouns.

Examples (6)

  1. Младоста брзо поминува.

    Youth passes quickly.

    Word by Word: Youth-the quickly passes.

  2. Нашето пријателство ми значи многу.

    Our friendship means a lot to me.

    Word by Word: Our-the friendship to-me means much.

  3. Детството го поминав во Битола.

    I spent my childhood in Bitola.

    Word by Word: Childhood-the it I-spent in Bitola.

  4. Имаме можност да патуваме летово.

    We have a chance to travel this summer.

    Word by Word: We-have possibility to we-travel summer-this.

  5. Здравјето е најголемото богатство.

    Health is the greatest wealth.

    Word by Word: Health-the is greatest-the wealth.

  6. Со радост ќе ви помогнам.

    I will gladly help you.

    Word by Word: With joy will to-you I-help.

Common Mistakes

  • Giving an -ост noun the masculine article.

    Младостот брзо поминува.
    Младоста брзо поминува.

    Nouns in -ост are feminine, so the article is -та: младоста.

  • Using a feminine adjective with an -ство noun.

    Пријателството е многу важна.
    Пријателството е многу важно.

    Nouns in -ство are neuter, so the adjective is neuter too: важно.

How It Connects

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Abstract Nouns in -ост / -ствоLevel 4Abstract Nouns

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Abstract nouns build on consonant-final feminines and adjectives.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-ост-ство