Lingolab MN

Beginner Grammar

Mongolian Accusative Case (-ыг/-ийг)

The accusative case marks the direct object of a verb, the thing that receives the action. In Би номыг уншсан (“I read the book”), the suffix -ыг on ном shows that the book is what was read.

The accusative is mainly used for specific or known objects: “the book”, “this film”, “the student”, “me”. A general object with no particular reference often has no ending at all (Би ном уншдаг, “I read books”). Mongolian word order is subject–object–verb, so the accusative object sits right before the verb.

The ending depends on the last sound of the word and on vowel harmony. After vowels the ending is -г. After consonants it is -ыг (back-vowel words) or -ийг (front-vowel words, and words ending in ж, ч, ш or ь). Learn the pronoun forms separately, since they are irregular.

Rules & Suffixes

Accusative endings by the end of the word
Word ends inSuffixExample
A vowel (including long vowels)-гкино → киног, хүү → хүүг, ширээ → ширээг
A consonant, after back vowels (а, о, у)-ыгном → номыг, ах → ахыг, хот → хотыг
A consonant, after front vowels (э, ө, ү)-ийггэр → гэрийг, хөл → хөлийг, хүн → хүнийг
A consonant ж, ч, ш, or a soft sign (ь)-ийгээж → ээжийг, багш → багшийг, сурагч → сурагчийг, морь → морийг
Ends in -й-гнохой → нохойг

Pronouns have their own forms: би → намайг, чи → чамайг, тэр → түүнийг, бид → биднийг, та → таныг, тэд → тэднийг.

Example Sentences

  1. Би номыг уншсан.

    Bi nomyg unshsan.

    I read the book.

  2. Багш сурагчийг магтсан.

    Bagsh suragchiig magtsan.

    The teacher praised the student.

  3. Ээж хоолыг хийсэн.

    Eej khoolyg khiisen.

    Mom made the meal.

  4. Би түүнийг мэднэ.

    Bi tüüniig medne.

    I know him/her.

  5. Тэр намайг дуудсан.

    Ter namaig duudsan.

    He/She called me.

  6. Бид гэрийг цэвэрлэсэн.

    Bid geriig tseverlesen.

    We cleaned the house.

  7. Чи энэ киног үзсэн үү?

    Chi ene kinog üzsen üü?

    Did you watch this film?

  8. Хүүхэд нохойг тэжээдэг.

    Khüükhed nokhoig tejeedeg.

    The child feeds/looks after the dog.

Romanization is simplified to help you read along; it is not an official standard.

Common Mistakes

  • Incorrect Би номийг уншсан.

    Correct Би номыг уншсан.

    Ном has a back vowel (о), so it takes -ыг. Use -ийг only after front-vowel words (гэрийг) and the special endings ж, ч, ш, ь.

  • Incorrect Би багшыг харсан.

    Correct Би багшийг харсан.

    Words ending in ж, ч or ш take -ийг even when they contain back vowels: багш → багшийг, ээж → ээжийг.

  • Incorrect Тэр би дуудсан.

    Correct Тэр намайг дуудсан.

    Pronouns do not just add -г. Use the special accusative forms: намайг, чамайг, түүнийг, биднийг.

  • Incorrect Би номыг уншдаг. (meaning "I read books")

    Correct Би ном уншдаг.

    The accusative marks a specific object ("the book"). A general, indefinite object often stays bare, so Би ном уншдаг means "I read books."

Related Grammar Topics

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