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Differences between proper nouns and common nouns.
Nouns are classified as either common nouns or proper nouns.
Common nouns refer to general people, places or things, while proper nouns name specific people, places, organizations or entities.
I live in a small city.
Я живу в небольшом городе.
"City" is a common noun because it refers to a general type of place.
I live in Chicago.
Я живу в Чикаго.
"Chicago" is a proper noun because it names a specific city.
She is a teacher.
Она учитель.
"Teacher" is a common noun referring to a general occupation.
Her name is Maria.
Ее зовут Мария.
"Maria" is a proper noun because it identifies a specific person.
We crossed a river.
Мы пересекли реку.
"River" is a common noun when it does not name a specific river.
We crossed the Mississippi River.
Мы пересекли реку Миссисипи.
"Mississippi River" is a proper name identifying one specific river.
She bought a computer.
Она купила компьютер.
"Computer" is a common noun.
She uses a MacBook.
Она пользуется MacBook.
"MacBook" is a proper name used for a specific product line.
Common nouns refer to general classes of people, places, animals, objects or ideas.
Examples include city, teacher, river, computer and happiness.
The dog is sleeping in the yard.
Собака спит во дворе.
"Dog" is a common noun referring to an animal in general.
My brother is a doctor.
Мой брат — врач.
"Doctor" is a common noun referring to an occupation.
We drove through the city.
Мы ехали через город.
"City" is a common noun.
The computer is on the desk.
Компьютер находится на столе.
"Computer" is a common noun for a type of device.
Happiness is important in life.
Счастье важно в жизни.
"Happiness" is a common abstract noun.
The teacher opened the door.
Учитель открыл дверь.
"Teacher" and "door" are both common nouns.
The river is behind the town.
Река находится за городом.
"River" and "town" are common nouns because no specific names are given.
She studies history at college.
Она изучает историю в колледже.
"History" and "college" are common nouns in this sentence.
Proper nouns identify specific people, places, organizations, events and other unique entities.
Examples include London, Maria, Google, Mount Everest and Christmas.
Maria lives in Boston.
Мария живет в Бостоне.
"Maria" and "Boston" are proper nouns naming a specific person and city.
Google is one of the largest technology companies.
Google — одна из крупнейших технологических компаний.
"Google" is a proper noun naming a specific company.
Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level.
Эверест — самая высокая гора над уровнем моря.
"Mount Everest" is a proper geographical name.
Christmas is in December.
Рождество в декабре.
"Christmas" is a proper noun naming a specific holiday.
We visited New York last summer.
Мы посетили Нью-Йорк прошлым летом.
"New York" is a proper noun naming a specific city.
John works for Microsoft.
Джон работает в Microsoft.
"John" and "Microsoft" are proper nouns.
The Pacific Ocean is enormous.
Тихий океан огромен.
"Pacific Ocean" is a proper geographical name.
They celebrate Thanksgiving in November.
Они отмечают День благодарения в ноябре.
"Thanksgiving" is a proper noun for a specific holiday.
Proper nouns begin with a capital letter.
Capitalization distinguishes proper nouns from common nouns and follows standard English writing conventions.
My friend lives in Chicago.
Мой друг живет в Чикаго.
"Chicago" begins with a capital letter because it is a proper noun.
I speak English at work.
Я говорю по-английски на работе.
"English" is capitalized because language names are proper nouns.
She is from Canada.
Она из Канады.
"Canada" begins with a capital letter because it is a country name.
We visited the Grand Canyon.
Мы посетили Гранд-Каньон.
"Grand Canyon" is a proper geographical name, so its main words are capitalized.
Sarah works at Amazon.
Сара работает в Amazon.
"Sarah" and "Amazon" are proper nouns and therefore begin with capital letters.
We celebrate Independence Day in July.
Мы отмечаем День независимости в июле.
"Independence Day" is capitalized because it is the name of a specific holiday.
He studies Spanish and history.
Он изучает испанский язык и историю.
"Spanish" is capitalized because it is a language name, while "history" is a common noun.
The Mississippi River flows through several states.
Река Миссисипи протекает через несколько штатов.
"Mississippi River" is a proper name and therefore uses capitalization.
Titles may appear before proper nouns and follow capitalization rules.
Examples include Professor Brown, Queen Elizabeth II and Dr Smith.
Professor Brown teaches chemistry.
Профессор Браун преподает химию.
"Professor" is capitalized because it appears directly before a specific name.
Dr. Smith called me this morning.
Доктор Смит позвонил мне сегодня утром.
"Dr." is capitalized as part of the title before the proper name "Smith".
President Lincoln is remembered in American history.
Президент Линкольн помнят в американской истории.
"President" is capitalized because it is used directly before the name "Lincoln".
Queen Elizabeth II visited the United States.
Королева Елизавета II посетила Соединенные Штаты.
"Queen" is capitalized because it directly precedes a specific name.
The president spoke to reporters.
Президент поговорил с журналистами.
"President" is not capitalized here because it is used as a common noun, not directly before a name.
President Biden spoke to reporters.
Президент Байден поговорил с журналистами.
"President" is capitalized because it directly precedes the proper name "Biden".
I spoke with Professor Brown after class.
Я поговорил с профессором Брауном после занятия.
"Professor" is part of the title used with "Brown".
The doctor met with Dr. Johnson.
Врач встретился с доктором Джонсоном.
"doctor" is a common noun, while "Dr." is capitalized as a title before a name.
A common noun becomes a proper noun when it forms part of a specific name.
Compare the river with the River Thames and the university with Oxford University.
We crossed the river near the town.
Мы пересекли реку возле города.
"River" is a common noun here because no specific river name is given.
We crossed the Mississippi River near Memphis.
Мы пересекли реку Миссисипи возле Мемфиса.
"Mississippi River" is a specific proper name, so "River" is capitalized.
She attends a university in California.
Она учится в университете в Калифорнии.
"University" is a common noun here.
She attends Stanford University.
Она учится в Стэнфордском университете.
"University" forms part of the proper name "Stanford University".
The lake is popular with tourists.
Озеро популярно среди туристов.
"Lake" is a common noun in this general reference.
Lake Michigan is popular with tourists.
Озеро Мичиган популярно среди туристов.
"Lake Michigan" is a proper name, so "Lake" is part of the capitalized name.
The state is growing quickly.
Штат быстро растет.
"State" is a common noun when no specific state name is used.
The State of New York has a large population.
Штат Нью-Йорк имеет большое население.
"State" is capitalized because it forms part of the official name.
Some proper nouns develop common noun meanings through general usage.
Examples include sandwich, diesel, boycott and champagne in certain contexts.
I ordered a sandwich for lunch.
Я заказал сэндвич на обед.
"Sandwich" comes from the proper name "Sandwich" but is now an ordinary common noun.
The company was criticized for trying to boycott the event.
Компанию критиковали за попытку бойкотировать мероприятие.
"Boycott" developed from the surname "Boycott" and is now a common noun and verb.
The restaurant serves champagne at weddings.
Ресторан подает шампанское на свадьбах.
"Champagne" is often used generically for sparkling wine in everyday English, although the protected geographical name has a more specific legal meaning.
He asked for a sandwich with turkey and cheese.
Он попросил сэндвич с индейкой и сыром.
"Sandwich" is fully lexicalized as a common noun.
The company called for a boycott of the product.
Компания призвала к бойкоту этого продукта.
"Boycott" is a common noun referring to an organized refusal to buy or support something.
The hotel served several glasses of champagne.
В отеле подали несколько бокалов шампанского.
"Champagne" is used as a common noun referring to the drink.
The word "diesel" comes from the name of Rudolf Diesel.
Слово "diesel" происходит от имени Рудольфа Дизеля.
"Diesel" became a common noun derived from a proper name.
The truck runs on diesel.
Грузовик работает на дизельном топливе.
"Diesel" is a common noun in this modern usage.
Brand names are proper nouns, but some become generic through widespread use.
Examples include Google, Photoshop and Hoover, though usage varies by region and context.
I searched for the information on Google.
Я нашел информацию в Google.
"Google" is a proper brand name and is capitalized.
She edited the image in Photoshop.
Она отредактировала изображение в Photoshop.
"Photoshop" is a proper product name.
The company bought a new Hoover vacuum cleaner.
Компания купила новый пылесос Hoover.
"Hoover" is a brand name, although it has also developed generic uses in some varieties of English.
Please Google the restaurant before you go.
Пожалуйста, поищи ресторан в Google перед тем, как идти.
"Google" is being used as a verb derived from the brand name.
He bought a Band-Aid for the cut.
Он купил пластырь для пореза.
"Band-Aid" is a trademark, although the name is sometimes used generically in American English.
The instructions say to save the file as a PDF.
В инструкции сказано сохранить файл в формате PDF.
"PDF" is an acronym rather than an ordinary brand name and is capitalized accordingly.
She uses Google Maps to find restaurants.
Она использует Google Maps, чтобы находить рестораны.
"Google Maps" is a specific product name.
The app lets users Photoshop their images.
Приложение позволяет пользователям обрабатывать свои изображения в Photoshop.
"Photoshop" is used here as a verb derived from the brand name.
Many proper nouns consist of two or more words.
Examples include New York City, United Kingdom and Bank of England.
I live in New York City.
Я живу в Нью-Йорке.
"New York City" is a compound proper name for a specific city.
She moved to the United Kingdom last year.
Она переехала в Соединенное Королевство в прошлом году.
"United Kingdom" is a multiword proper name.
The Bank of America has branches across the country.
Bank of America имеет отделения по всей стране.
"Bank of America" is a multiword proper name.
The United States is in North America.
Соединенные Штаты находятся в Северной Америке.
"United States" and "North America" are compound proper names.
She works for the New York Times.
Она работает в New York Times.
"New York Times" is a multiword proper name.
They visited the National Park Service office.
Они посетили офис National Park Service.
"National Park Service" is a multiword organizational name.
He studies at the University of Chicago.
Он учится в Чикагском университете.
"University of Chicago" is a compound proper name.
The Library of Congress is in Washington, D.C.
Библиотека Конгресса находится в Вашингтоне, округ Колумбия.
"Library of Congress" is a multiword proper name.
Proper nouns form possessives using the same rules as other nouns.
Examples include James's bicycle, London's museums and the United Nations' headquarters.
James's bicycle is outside.
Велосипед Джеймса находится снаружи.
"James's bicycle" uses the genitive with a proper noun.
London's museums attract millions of visitors.
Музеи Лондона привлекают миллионы посетителей.
"London's museums" uses the genitive with a place name.
The United Nations' headquarters are in New York.
Штаб-квартира Организации Объединенных Наций находится в Нью-Йорке.
"United Nations'" is a regular plural proper noun ending in -s, so only an apostrophe is added.
Sarah's office is on the second floor.
Кабинет Сары находится на втором этаже.
"Sarah's office" is a straightforward possessive proper noun.
Texas's economy is larger than many countries' economies.
Экономика Техаса больше, чем экономики многих стран.
"Texas's economy" shows one common style for forming the possessive of a proper noun ending in a pronounced /s/ sound.
The United States' population is over 300 million.
Население Соединенных Штатов превышает 300 миллионов.
"United States' population" uses the plural genitive form.
Chicago's downtown area is very busy.
Центр Чикаго очень оживленный.
"Chicago's downtown area" uses the genitive with a city name.
The Joneses' house is next door.
Дом семьи Джонсов находится рядом.
"Joneses' house" uses the genitive after the irregular-in-spelling family plural "Joneses".
Some proper nouns have unique capitalization patterns.
Examples include iPhone, eBay, McDonald's and the lowercase brand name adidas in its official styling.
I bought a new iPhone yesterday.
Я купил новый iPhone вчера.
"iPhone" uses the capitalization specified by the brand name.
I found the company on eBay.
Я нашел компанию на eBay.
"eBay" has an established internal capital letter.
She works at McDonald's.
Она работает в McDonald's.
"McDonald's" contains an internal capital letter and a possessive apostrophe.
The company uses iPad devices in its offices.
Компания использует устройства iPad в своих офисах.
"iPad" follows the official product capitalization.
I bought a package from adidas.
Я купил товар у adidas.
"adidas" is an example of a brand whose official styling uses lowercase letters.
The designer works with Adobe Photoshop.
Дизайнер работает с Adobe Photoshop.
"Adobe Photoshop" follows the established capitalization of the company and product names.
He bought a PlayStation for his son.
Он купил PlayStation для своего сына.
"PlayStation" uses its official internal capitalization.
The company launched a new GitHub project.
Компания запустила новый проект на GitHub.
"GitHub" uses a capital letter in the middle of the brand name.
Distinguish between common nouns and proper nouns and capitalize only proper nouns.
Common mistakes include unnecessary capitalization and failing to capitalize names, countries, languages and nationalities.
I live in the United States.
Я живу в Соединенных Штатах.
"United States" must be capitalized because it is a proper country name.
She speaks English and Spanish.
Она говорит по-английски и по-испански.
Language names such as "English" and "Spanish" are always capitalized.
My sister lives in Boston.
Моя сестра живет в Бостоне.
"Boston" must be capitalized because it is a specific city name.
We visited the Pacific Ocean last summer.
Мы посетили Тихий океан прошлым летом.
"Pacific Ocean" is a proper geographical name and should be capitalized.
The teacher gave us some homework.
Учитель дал нам домашнее задание.
"Teacher" and "homework" are common nouns and should not be capitalized simply because they are important.
President Lincoln was born in Kentucky.
Президент Линкольн родился в Кентукки.
"President" is capitalized because it is used directly before the proper name "Lincoln".
The president spoke on television.
Президент выступил по телевидению.
"President" is a common noun here because it is not used directly before a name.
Google is a company, but "company" is a common noun.
Google — это компания, но "company" — нарицательное существительное.
"Google" is a proper noun, while "company" is a common noun.