Bootstrap Russian Grammar

Learn Russian Grammar step-by-step

Russian grammar - The verb 'to be'

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:
Сергей здесь.
Sergei is here.

The present tense verb 'to be' [is] is implied

здесь means 'here'.
Ульяна там.
Ulyana is there.

The present tense verb 'to be' [is] is implied

там means 'there' or 'over there'.
Вот Ольга.
Here is Olga.

The present tense verb 'to be' [is] is implied

вот means 'here is' - like the French 'voilà'
Дом там.
[The] house is there.

дом means 'house' or 'home'

Here the article [the] is inferred from the context
Иван дома.
Ivan is at home.

дома means 'at home' from the word дом
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'
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'
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'
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'