Bootstrap Russian Grammar EXTRACT
Bootstrap Russian Grammar EXTRACT
Bootstrap Russian Grammar EXTRACT
Russian
Grammar
Learn Russian grammar step-by-step with
200 topics and over 3,000 examples
First Edition
Peter Vujanovic
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Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 1
The verb 'to be'
The Russian verb 'to be' ('is', 'are' etc.) does not appear in the present tense.
- So in Russian we say 'Sergei here' when we mean 'Sergei is here'. But only in the
present tense.
In phrases like 'A is B', when both A and B are nouns, a dash '—' is used in place of the
verb 'to be'.
Note that Russian has no concept of articles like [a] and [the]. They are implied from
context.
EXAMPLES:
1 Сергей здесь.
Sergei is here.
The present tense verb 'to be' [is] is implied
здесь means 'here'.
2 Ульяна там.
Ulyana is there.
The present tense verb 'to be' [is] is implied
там means 'there' or 'over there'.
3 Вот Ольга.
Here is Olga.
The present tense verb 'to be' [is] is implied
вот means 'here is' - like the French 'voilà'
4 Дом там.
[The] house is there.
дом means 'house' or 'home'
Here the article [the] is inferred from the context
5 Иван дома.
Ivan is at home.
дома means 'at home' from the word дом
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TOPIC 1 The verb 'to be'
6 Татьяна — женщина.
Tatiana is [a] woman.
Note the use of a dash '—' when using 'to be' with two nouns (and no pronoun)
Here the article [a] is inferred from the context
женщина means 'woman'
7 Виктор — мужчина.
Victor is [a] man.
Note the use of a dash '—' when using 'to be' with two nouns (and no pronoun)
Here the article [a] is inferred from the context
мужчина means 'man'
8 Татьяна — профессор.
Tatiana is [a] professor.
Note the use of a dash '—' when using 'to be' with two nouns (and no pronoun)
профессор means '(university) professor'
9 Виктор — водитель.
Victor is [a] driver.
Note the use of a dash '—' when using 'to be' with two nouns (and no pronoun)
водитель means 'driver'
Russian Grammar 2
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 2
Personal pronouns
The Russian personal pronouns are: я (I), ты (you, singular), он (he), она (she), мы
(we), вы (you, plural), они (they).
- The pronoun used for the singular 'you' depends on formality. This is explained in the
next topic.
EXAMPLES:
1 Он Сергей.
He is Sergei.
2 Она Ольга.
She is Olga.
3 Я русский.
I am Russian (male).
русский (masculine adjective) means 'Russian'.
4 Она русская.
She is Russian (female).
русская (feminine adjective) means 'Russian'.
5 Она здесь.
She is here.
6 Он там.
He is (over) there.
7 Они дома.
They are at home.
8 Вы дома.
You (plural) are at home.
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TOPIC 2 Personal pronouns
9 Я учитель.
I am [a/the] teacher.
учитель means 'teacher'
The article could be [a] or [the] - inferred from the context.
10 Мы здесь.
We are here.
11 Она профессор.
She is [a/the] professor.
Note that despite both subject and object being nouns, if the subject is a pronoun we
do not use a dash '—' in the place of the verb 'to be'
The article could be [a] or [the] - inferred from the context.
12 Он водитель.
He is [a/the] driver.
Note that despite both subject and object being nouns, if the subject is a pronoun we
do not use a dash '—' in the place of the verb 'to be'
The article could be [a] or [the] - inferred from the context.
Russian Grammar 4
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 3
Это : this, that, it
EXAMPLES:
1 Это я!
It's me!
2 Это Иван.
That is Ivan.
3 Это учитель.
This is [a/the] teacher.
4 Это водитель.
This is [a/the] driver.
5 Это кот.
This is a (male) cat.
кот means 'male cat'
6 Это яблоко.
It is [an/the] apple.
яблоко means 'apple'
7 Это музей.
It is [a/the] museum.
музей means 'museum'
8 Это дом.
That is [a/the] house.
дом means 'house' or 'home'
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TOPIC 3 Это : this, that, it
9 Это здесь.
It is here.
10 Это понятно.
This is clear. / That is understandable.
понятно means 'understandable', 'obvious', or 'clear'.
11 Это верно.
This is true.
верно means 'true' or 'correct'
Russian Grammar 6
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 4
Simple negation
EXAMPLES:
1 Я не учитель.
I am not a/the teacher.
2 Она не Ольга.
She is not Olga.
4 Это не профессор.
This is not the professor.
5 Он не ребёнок.
He is not a child.
ребёнок means 'child'
6 Она не актриса.
She is not an actress.
7 Я ещё не там.
I am not there yet.
ещё means 'yet' or 'still'.
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TOPIC 4 Simple negation
9 Мы не дома.
We are not at home.
10 Это непонятно.
That is incomprehensible.
не (un) + понятно (clear) ⇒ непонятно
непонятно means 'incomprehensible' or 'not understandable'
11 Это неверно.
That is incorrect.
не (un) + верно (true) ⇒ неверно
неверно means 'untrue' or 'incorrect'
Russian Grammar 8
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 5
Asking and answering questions
Russian uses both a raising intonation and word order to formulate questions.
And answer using да (yes) and нет (no).
EXAMPLES:
1 Ольга русская?
Is Olga Russian (female)?
русская (feminine adjective) means 'Russian'
No dash is required when a noun is used in combination with an adjective.
3 Это не Иван?
Isn't that Ivan?
5 Он не русский?
Is he not Russian (male)?
6 Нет, он русский.
No, he is Russian (male).
Note the negative response to a negative question.
7 Где Таня?
Where is Tanya?
где means 'where'.
8 Таня там?
Is Tanya there?
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TOPIC 5 Asking and answering questions
10 Где вы?
Where are you (plural)?
11 Это собака?
Is that a dog?
13 Почему ты не здесь?
Why aren't you (informal) here?
почему means 'why'.
Russian Grammar 10
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 6
Formality in Russian: вы and ты
The Russian word for 'you' (the second person pronoun) depends on who is talking and
who is being addressed.
● вы is used when addressing someone formally or politely.
● ты is used when talking to friends and family.
Grammatically вы behaves just like the second person plural ('you guys', 'ya'll').
So when first using it imagine you are talking to two people.
EXAMPLES:
1 Ты ученик?
Are you (informal) a student?
ты is the informal 'you'
ученик means 'student'
2 Ты уже здесь?
Are you (informal) here yet?
ты is the informal 'you'
уже means 'yet' or 'already'.
3 Вы профессор?
Are you (formal) a/the professor?
вы is the formal 'you'.
4 Вы русский?
Are you (formal) Russian (male)?
вы is the formal 'you'
русский is the male adjective for 'Russian'.
5 Когда вы дома?
When are you (formal) at home?
вы is the formal 'you'
когда means 'when'.
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TOPIC 6 Formality in Russian: вы and ты
6 Вы всегда дома.
You (formal) are always at home.
вы is the formal 'you'
всегда means 'always'.
7 Почему ты здесь?
Why are you (informal) here?
ты is the informal 'you'
почему means 'why'.
8 Вы иногда там?
Are you (formal) sometimes there?
вы is the formal 'you'
иногда means 'sometimes'.
9 Вы часто там?
Are you (formal) often there?
вы is the formal 'you'
часто means 'often'.
Russian Grammar 12
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 7
Who and what - кто and что
The interrogative particles 'who' and 'what' are defined somewhat differently in Russian.
● кто means 'who' or 'what'.
- кто refers to all animate things - not just people but also animals and creatures.
● что means 'what'.
- что should refer only to inanimate objects or concepts.
EXAMPLES:
1 Что это?
What is this?
Meaning 'What is this inanimate object?'
3 Кто это?
Who/what is it?
Meaning 'What is this animate thing?'
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TOPIC 7 Who and what - кто and что
7 Кто он?
Who/what is he/it?
Recall that in Russian pronouns can refer to objects - though the genders must agree.
14 Что за ерунда!
What nonsense!
Russian Grammar 14
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 8
Gender and adjectives
EXAMPLES:
1 Новый учитель.
A new teacher (male).
учитель is masculine
новый ⇒ новый (masculine)
2 Большой дом.
A big house.
дом is masculine
большой ⇒ большой (masculine)
3 Старая учительница.
An old teacher (female).
учительница is feminine
старый ⇒ старая (feminine)
4 Красное яблоко.
A red apple.
яблоко is neuter
красный ⇒ красное (neuter)
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TOPIC 8 Gender and adjectives
5 Интересный музей.
An interesting museum.
музей is masculine
интересный ⇒ интересный (masculine)
6 Первый ребёнок.
The first child (male).
ребёнок is masculine
первый ⇒ первый (masculine)
7 Известный актер.
A famous actor (male).
актер is masculine
известный ⇒ известный (masculine)
актер means 'actor'
8 Известная актриса.
A famous actress.
актриса is feminine
известный ⇒ известная (feminine)
актриса means 'actress'
9 Закрытая дверь.
Closed door.
дверь is feminine
закрытый ⇒ закрытая (feminine)
дверь (fem.) means 'door'
10 Открытое окно.
An open window.
окно is neuter
открытый ⇒ открытое (neuter)
окно means 'window'
Russian Grammar 16
TOPIC 8 Gender and adjectives
11 Первый снег.
The first snow.
снег is masculine
первый ⇒ первый (masculine)
снег means 'snow'
12 Первая любовь.
The first love.
любовь is feminine
первый ⇒ первая (feminine)
любовь means 'love'
13 Белое облако.
A white cloud.
облако is neuter
белый ⇒ белое (neuter)
облако means 'cloud'
14 Красивая лилия.
A beautiful lily.
лилия is feminine
красивый ⇒ красивая (feminine)
15 Популярное кафе.
A popular café.
кафе is neuter
популярный ⇒ популярное (neuter)
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TOPIC 8 Gender and adjectives
Russian Grammar 18
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 9
The conjunctions и, но and а
EXAMPLES:
1 Он сосед и друг.
He is a neighbour and a friend.
New information but no contrast intended
сосед means 'neighbour'
друг means 'friend'
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TOPIC 9 The conjunctions и, но and а
12 Я водитель. А вы?
I am a driver. And you (formal)?
Asking for new infromation and suggesting contrast.
Russian Grammar 20
Bootstrap Russian
TOPIC 10
Plurals
EXAMPLES:
1 Это птицы.
These are birds.
птица (fem.) ⇒ птицы : «-а» → «-ы»
2 Это коровы.
These are cows.
корова (fem.) ⇒ коровы : «-а» → «-ы»
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TOPIC 10 Plurals
Russian Grammar 22
TOPIC 10 Plurals
14 Вот платья.
Here are the dresses.
платье (neu.) ⇒ платья : «-е» → «-я»
16 Женщины здесь.
The women are here.
женщина (fem.) ⇒ женщины : «-а» → «-ы»
17 Это лампы.
Those are lamps.
лампа (fem.) ⇒ лампы : «-а» → «-ы»
18 Это не истории.
These are not stories.
история (fem.) ⇒ истории : «-ия» → «-ии»
20 Вот те здания.
Here are those buildings.
здание (neu.) ⇒ здания : «-ие» → «-ия»
те means 'those'
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