Russian · TORFL Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 13
Что это?What is this?
To ask about a thing: "Что это?" — with no verb "to be" (remember: Russian has no present "to be"). The pointing word "это" does NOT change by gender: "Это книга" (f), "Это стол" (m), "Это окно" (n) — always "это". Gender returns only in the noun itself. Objects: часы, зонт, одежда, обувь, вода, дверь, окно, компьютер, деньги, бумага, ключ, телефон. Reading: ч = "ch", but in "что" it's "sh" (shto!); the soft sign in "дверь/обувь".
Dialogue
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Без глагола— No verb
- MikeИван,чтоестьэто?Ivan, what is this? (slip: Russian has no present "to be" — drop «есть»: «Что это?»)
- IvanБез«есть»:«Чтоэто?».Without "есть": "Что это?".
- MikeПонятно.Чтоэто?Got it. What is this?
- IvanЭтозонт.Аэточасы.It's an umbrella. And that's a watch.
Dialogue
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В сумке— In the Bag
- AnyaМайк,чтоэто?Mike, what's that?
- MikeЭтокомпьютер.Аэтобумага.It's a computer. And this is paper.
- AnyaАутебяестьвода?And do you have water?
- MikeДа,уменяестьвода,деньгииключ.Yes, I have water, money and a key.
Vocabulary
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- часы
nounclock, watch (pl)
- зонт
nounumbrella (m)
- одежда
nounclothes (f)
- обувь
nounfootwear (f)
- вода
nounwater (f)
- дверь
noundoor (f)
- окно
nounwindow (n)
- компьютер
nouncomputer (m)
- деньги
nounmoney (pl)
- бумага
nounpaper (f)
- ключ
nounkey (m)
- телефон
nountelephone (m)
Grammar
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"что" and the pointing "это"
Explanation
"Что" = "what". To ask about an object, you say "Что это?" — with NO verb (Russian has no present "to be"). The answer is also verbless: "Это книга", "Это телефон". The key point: the pointing "это" does NOT change by gender — it is always "это", even if the thing is feminine or neuter: Это книга (f), Это стол (m), Это окно (n). Don't confuse the pointing "это" with "этот/эта/это" (этот стол, эта книга), which agree. And "что" asks about a thing, while "какой" asks about a kind or quality (chapter 10).
Examples
- Что это? — Это телефон.What's this? — It's a telephone.
- Что это? — Это зонт.What's that? — It's an umbrella.
- Это вода, а это бумага.This is water, and this is paper.
- Это окно, а это дверь.This is a window, and this is a door.
Cyrillic
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«что» = «што» и безударное о— "что" = "shto" and unstressed о
Today's main trap is the word "что". Although it is written with "ч", it is read as "sh": "что" = "SHTO", "конечно" = "kaNYESHna". It's an exception, but a very common one. Next: unstressed о almost always sounds like "a" — "окно" = "ak-NO", "вода" = "va-DA", "телефон" = "te-le-FON". And "щ" in "вещь" is a long, soft "sh". Read the objects aloud and don't forget: "что" = "shto". Trust your ear.
Read aloud:
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