The Verb 'быть' (to be) — Russian Grammar

(Byt'Bytʹ) means to be, but in the present tense Russian simply leaves it out. Where English says He is a teacher, Russian says "He teacher". The verb reappears in the past and the future, and it has a special present form for saying that something exists.

No Verb in the Present

A noun or adjective that describes the subject follows it directly.

Он учи́тель.
On uchítel'.On učítelʹ.
He is a teacher.
Моя́ кни́га там.
Moyá kníga tam.Mojá kníga tam.
My book is over there.
Вы сча́стливы.
Vy schástlivy.Vy sčástlivy.
You are happy.

(Éto) works the same way: (Éto moyá podrúgaÉto mojá podrúga) is This is my friend, with no verb.

Э́то лу́чший рестора́н в ми́ре.
Éto lúchshiy restorán v míre.Éto lúčšij restorán v míre.
This is the best restaurant in the world.

The Dash

When both the subject and the description are nouns, and especially when the subject is long or the sentence is a definition, written Russian puts a dash where English has is. It is not pronounced; it marks the missing verb.

Су́ши — моя́ люби́мая еда́.
Súshi — moyá lyubímaya yedá.Súši — mojá ljubímaja jedá.
Sushi is my favorite food.
Апре́ль — мой люби́мый ме́сяц.
Aprél' — moy lyubímyy mésyats.Aprélʹ — moj ljubímyj mésjac.
April is my favorite month.

есть (yest'): There Is

The old present form (yest'jestʹ) survives for existence and possession: there is, there are. It is used when the existence of something is the point.

Есть пробле́ма?
Yest' probléma?Jestʹ probléma?
Is there a problem?
В конце́ доро́ги есть запра́вка.
V kontsé dorógi yest' zaprávka.V koncé dorógi jestʹ zaprávka.
There is a gas station at the end of the road.
У меня́ есть соба́ка.
U menyá yest' sobáka.U menjá jestʹ sobáka.
I have a dog.

Past and Future

In the past, (byt'bytʹ) agrees with the subject: (byl), (bylá), (býlo), (býli). The future is (búdu), (búdesh'búdešʹ), (búdet), (búdem), (búdete), (búdut).

Когда́ я был мо́лод, я жил в Кита́е.
Kogdá ya byl mólod, ya zhil v Kitáye.Kogdá ja byl mólod, ja žil v Kitáje.
When I was young, I lived in China.
Про́бки бы́ли как обы́чно.
Próbki býli kak obýchno.Próbki býli kak obýčno.
The traffic was as usual.
Я бу́ду на больни́чном неде́лю.
Ya búdu na bol'níchnom nedélyu.Ja búdu na bolʹníčnom nedélju.
I'll be on sick leave for a week.

The Instrumental After быть (byt')

In the past, the future and the infinitive, a noun or adjective describing the subject is usually in the instrumental case. The same happens after (stat'statʹ) and (stanovít'syastanovítʹsja) (to become) and after (rabótat'rabótatʹ) (to work as).

Ты хо́чешь быть его́ дру́гом?
Ty khóchesh' byt' yegó drúgom?Ty xóčešʹ bytʹ jegó drúgom?
Do you want to be his friend?
Не будь лени́вой.
Ne bud' lenívoy.Ne budʹ lenívoj.
Don't be lazy.
В ию́ле река́ стано́вится о́чень тёплой.
V iyúle reká stanóvitsya óchen' tyóploy.V ijúle reká stanóvitsja óčenʹ tjóploj.
In July the river gets very warm.
Она́ рабо́тает официа́нткой.
Oná rabótayet ofitsiántkoy.Oná rabótajet oficiántkoj.
She works as a waitress.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

39 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 21. A few of them, with the words “The Verb 'быть' (to be)” is about in bold:

О, я знаю Францию. Я был во Франции раньше.
O, ya znáyu Frántsiyu. Ya byl vo Frántsii rán'she.O, ja znáju Fránciju. Ja byl vo Fráncii ránʹše.
Oh, I know France. I have been to France before.
Lesson 208
Я не опаздываю. Я пришла рано. Пробки были как обычно.
Ya ne opázdyvayu. Ya prishlá ráno. Próbki býli kak obýchno.Ja ne opázdyvaju. Ja prišlá ráno. Próbki býli kak obýčno.
I am not late. I am early. Traffic was normal.
Lesson 279
Я хочу купить этот цветок. Он будет отлично смотреться в моей комнате.
Ya khochú kupít' étot tsvetók. On búdet otlíchno smotrét'sya v moyéy kómnate.Ja xočú kupítʹ étot cvetók. On búdet otlíčno smotrétʹsja v mojéj kómnate.
I want to buy this plant. It will look great in my room.
Lesson 384

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