Russian · TORFL Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 5
Я студентI'm a student
Russian's most striking feature is here. In the present there is NO verb "to be": Я студент literally means "I student", without "am". In writing, a dash sometimes goes between two nouns: Москва — город. That's the "zero copula". The second topic is the three genders, but in Russian they're predictable from the ending (unlike German): a consonant at the end → masculine (студент), -а/-я → feminine (профессия), -о/-е → neuter (окно). Adjectives agree: новый дом, новая книга, новое окно. Mike, like a true English speaker, inserts "есть": "Я есть студент" — Anya removes the extra word. Standard Russian.
Dialogue
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Кто ты по профессии?— What do you do?
- IvanЯстудент.Аты,Аня?I'm a student. And you, Anya?
- AnyaЯтожестудентка.МарияИвановна—преподаватель.I'm also a student. Maria Ivanovna is a teacher.
- IvanАон?Онврач?And him? Is he a doctor?
- AnyaНет,онстудент.Врач—хорошаяпрофессия!No, he's a student. Doctor is a good profession!
Dialogue
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Майк и лишнее «есть»— Mike and the Extra "есть"
- IvanМайк,тыстудент?Mike, are you a student?
- MikeДа!Яестьстудент.Yes! I "am" a student. (wrong: no "есть" — Russian has no present-tense "to be")
- AnyaМайк—«Ястудент»!Mike — "Я студент"! (drop "есть" — no verb between the two nouns)
- MikeДа!Ястудент.Спасибо,Аня!Yes! I'm a student. Thank you, Anya!
Vocabulary
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- студент
nounstudent (m)
- преподаватель
nounteacher (m)
- врач
noundoctor (m)
- профессия
nounprofession (f)
- мужчина
nounman (m)
- женщина
nounwoman (f)
- хороший
adjectivegood
- большой
adjectivebig
- маленький
adjectivesmall
- новый
adjectivenew
Grammar
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The zero copula: no verb "to be"
Explanation
Russian's most characteristic feature: in the present there is NO verb "быть" (to be). Where English says "I AM a student", Russian just says Я студент — two words, no copula. Likewise: Она врач. Москва город. Это книга. In writing, a dash sometimes replaces "есть" between two nouns: Москва — город, Мой друг — врач. (The word есть does exist in Russian, but it means "there is / to have", and for "I am" it is NOT needed.) That's why Mike errs: he carries over the English "am" and says "Я есть студент". Correct is just Я студент.
Examples
- Я студент. Она врач.I'm a student. She is a doctor.
- Москва — большой город.Moscow is a big city.
- Это новый друг. (не «Это есть…»)This is a new friend. (not "Это есть…")
Grammar
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Three genders — by the ending
Explanation
Russian nouns have three genders, and — good news for an English speaker after German — the gender is almost always visible from the ending. A consonant at the end → masculine: студент, врач, друг (он). Ending -а/-я → feminine: профессия, женщина, Москва (она). Ending -о/-е → neuter: окно, имя (оно). (There are small exceptions: мужчина looks feminine but is "он"; имя is neuter. They're few.) The adjective agrees with the gender: новый студент (m), новая профессия (f), новое имя (n); likewise хороший / хорошая / хорошее. Learn a noun together with its gender — but the ending will almost always tell you.
Examples
- студент (он), профессия (она), имя (оно)student (он/m), profession (она/f), name (оно/n)
- новый студент, новая профессия, новое имяa new student, a new profession, a new name
- Иван — хороший студент. Аня — хорошая студентка.Ivan is a good student. Anya is a good student.
Cyrillic
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Мягкие и твёрдые согласные— Soft and hard consonants
The last important reading habit: consonants come soft or hard. Before the letters е, и, я, ё, ю (and before the soft sign Ь) a consonant softens — it sounds as if a faint "y" hides behind it. Compare: in студент the т and д before е are soft ("stu-DYENT", soft ending), while in новый everything is hard ("NO-vyy"). In маленький the soft sign makes the л soft. You don't need to learn this as a list — just listen: the vowels е/и pull a consonant to the soft side, while а/о/у/ы leave it hard. Read aloud and trust your ear.
Compare soft and hard, reading aloud:
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