Adjectives: Short Forms — Russian Grammar

Many Russian adjectives have a second, shorter set of forms, used only after the subject to say what it is like: the book is interesting, not an interesting book. Short forms only change for gender and number, never for case.

Formation

The short form drops the long ending:

Masculine: no ending - (rad), (bólen), (gotóv)
Feminine: -а - (ráda), (bol'nábolʹná), (gotóva)
Neuter: -о - (gotóvo)
Plural: -ы or -и - (rády), (bol'nýbolʹný), (gotóvy)

When the masculine would end in two consonants, an е or о is often inserted: (bólen), (umyónumjón). The stress frequently moves to the ending in the feminine.

Use

Short forms are used after the subject, in the role of is + adjective.

Ра́да познако́миться.
Ráda poznakómit'sya.Ráda poznakómitʹsja.
Nice to meet you.
Я не бо́лен. Я здоро́в.
Ya ne bólen. Ya zdoróv.Ja ne bólen. Ja zdoróv.
I'm not ill. I'm healthy.
Вы сча́стливы.
Vy schástlivy.Vy sčástlivy.
You are happy.
Мой де́душка стар, но о́чень акти́вен.
Moy dédushka star, no óchen' aktíven.Moj déduška star, no óčenʹ aktíven.
My grandfather is old, but very active.

Long and Short Compared

The long form can also stand after the subject. The long form describes a lasting quality; the short form often describes a temporary state or a quality in relation to something.

(On bol'nóy.On bolʹnój.) - He is a sick person.
(On bólen.) - He is ill (now).

Э́ти брю́ки мне малы́.
Éti bryúki mne malý.Éti brjúki mne malý.
These trousers are too small for me.

Adjectives That Are Mostly Short

A few adjectives are used almost only in the short form: (rad) (glad), (dólzhendólžen) (must), (gotóv) (ready), (soglásen) (agree), (zányatzánjat) (busy).

Я рад тебя́ ви́деть.
Ya rad tebyá vídet'.Ja rad tebjá vídetʹ.
I'm glad to see you.
Ты до́лжен отдохну́ть.
Ty dólzhen otdokhnút'.Ty dólžen otdoxnútʹ.
You must rest.
Обе́д гото́в.
Obéd gotóv.
Lunch is ready.
Я о́чень за́нят.
Ya óchen' zányat.Ja óčenʹ zánjat.
I'm very busy.

With вы (vy)

After polite (vy), a short adjective is plural even when one person is meant.

Вы пра́вы.
Vy právy.
You're right.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

41 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 4. A few of them, with the words “Adjectives: Short Forms” is about in bold:

Я чувствую себя отлично! Я не болен. Я здоров.
Ya chúvstvuyu sebyá otlíchno! Ya ne bólen. Ya zdoróv.Ja čúvstvuju sebjá otlíčno! Ja ne bólen. Ja zdoróv.
I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.
Lesson 64
Как смешно. Вы оба неправы.
Kak smeshnó. Vy óba neprávy.Kak smešnó. Vy óba neprávy.
How ridiculous. You are both wrong.
Lesson 163
Я так рад поездке в другую страну.
Ya tak rad poyézdke v drugúyu stranú.Ja tak rad pojézdke v drugúju stranú.
I'm so excited to travel to another country.
Lesson 449

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