A1 विशेषण 6 min read आसान

लघु विशेषण: वर्तमान स्थिति का वर्णन (красив, готов)

Short adjectives describe the current state of a subject, functioning like a verb 'to be' in the present.
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इसका अभ्यास करें

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Short adjectives describe a state or quality, usually acting as the predicate in a sentence instead of a noun modifier.

  • Short adjectives are used after the verb 'to be' (often omitted in present tense). Example: Он болен (He is sick).
  • They change based on gender and number, but not case. Example: Она больна (She is sick).
  • They are never used before a noun. You cannot say 'болен человек'.
Subject + (is) + Short Adjective

Overview

Ever wondered why some Russian adjectives look like they’ve had a haircut? In Russian, you’ll often see adjectives that are shorter than the ones you find in the dictionary. While a dictionary might tell you that beautiful is красивый, you’ll often hear Russians simply say красив.
It’s not because they’re being lazy or texting in a hurry. These are Short Adjectives, and they are the secret to sounding like a natural speaker rather than a walking textbook. Think of long adjectives as descriptions that stick to a person (like a permanent tattoo) and short adjectives as status updates (like a temporary Instagram story).
If you want to tell someone they are right, that the coffee is ready, or that you are busy, you need these short forms. They are punchy, direct, and essential for daily life. They don't just describe things; they make statements about how things are *right now*.
Short adjectives are a special class of words in Russian used primarily as the predicate of a sentence. In English, we use the verb to be for this:
The water is cold.
In Russian, we often drop the is and use a short adjective. Unlike their long-form cousins, short adjectives don't change based on cases (like Genitive or Dative).
They only care about gender and number. This makes them much easier to use once you learn the basic endings. You’ll find them in formal speeches, but they are also all over social media and apps.
When your Uber is ready, the app says автомобиль готов. When a YouTube video is unavailable, it's недоступно. They are the language of status, results, and immediate feelings.
If you only learn long adjectives, you’ll sound like you're reading a catalog. If you master short ones, you're actually communicating.

How This Grammar Works

In Russian, long adjectives (красивый, новый) usually come *before* the noun. They describe a quality. Short adjectives (красив, нов) always come *after* the noun (or the pronoun) and act as the main verb-like part of the sentence.
Here is the golden rule: Long adjectives = What kind of? (Какой?), Short adjectives = In what state? (Каков?). For example, я занятой человек means
I am a busy person
(that's just who I am). But я занят means I am busy (right now, don't call me).
It's a subtle but huge difference. Using a short adjective often implies that the state might change. You aren't always болен (sick), but you might be today.
You aren't always рад (glad), but you are glad to see your friend's new TikTok. It’s all about the now.

Gender & Agreement

Short adjectives must match the subject in gender and number. If you are a guy, you say я свободен (I am free). If you are a girl, you say я свободна.
If you’re talking about a group, it’s мы свободны. It’s like matching your outfit to the occasion—if the subject is feminine, the adjective needs that feminine ending. Masculine forms are the most unique because they usually have a zero ending, meaning they just end in a consonant.
Neuter forms end in -о, which can be confusing because they look exactly like adverbs. Don't panic! If it's describing a neuter noun like окно (window) or an abstract it, it's a short adjective.
If it’s describing an action, it’s an adverb. You’ll get the hang of it after a few Netflix episodes with subtitles on.

Conjugation Table

Form Ending Example Translation
Masculine - (None) он красив He is beautiful
Feminine -а она красива She is beautiful
Neuter -о оно красиво It is beautiful
Plural -ы / -и они красивы They are beautiful

Common Collocations

There are some words that Russians *almost always* use in the short form. You should memorize these as set phrases because the long versions either don't exist or mean something totally different. Я согласен (I agree) is a classic. You’ll use this in every Zoom meeting. Я должен (I must/owe) is another one—essential for talking about your student loans or responsibilities. Я рад (I am glad) is what you say when your friend finally texts back. Ты прав (You are right) is the best way to end an argument on Twitter. And of course, я занят (I'm busy), the universal excuse for why you haven't started your Duolingo lesson today. These words are the workhorses of the Russian language.

Formation Pattern

1
Creating a short adjective is like carving a statue—you just take the long adjective and chip away the extra bits.
2
Start with the long form: красивый.
3
Remove the ending (-ый, -ий, -ой): you’re left with the stem красив-.
4
For Masculine: Do nothing. The stem is the form: красив.
5
For Feminine: Add -а: красива.
6
For Neuter: Add -о: красиво.
7
For Plural: Add -ы (or -и after certain consonants): красивы.
8
*Pro Tip:* If the stem ends in two consonants (like свободн-), you often need to pop a fleeting vowel (о or е) in between them for the masculine form to make it easier to pronounce: свободен. It’s like adding a little breathing room between the letters.

Common Mistakes

The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to use short adjectives before a noun. Never say красив дом for a beautiful house. That sounds like Yoda speaking Russian. It must be дом красив (The house is beautiful). Another classic blunder is forgetting the fleeting vowel in masculine forms. Saying он свободн is a tongue-twister that will make Russians tilt their heads. Also, be careful with готов. If you say я готовый, it sounds like you are a ready-made person (like a microwave meal). If you mean "I'm ready to go," use я готов. Finally, don't use short adjectives for permanent colors. You wouldn't say the sky is short-blue. Colors stay long!

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I use short adjectives in the past tense?

Yes! Just add был, была, было, or были before them. Я был занят (I was busy).

Q

Do all adjectives have short forms?

Nope. Adjectives for materials (wooden, gold) or time (yesterday’s) only have long forms. You can't be short-wooden.

Q

Is красиво an adverb or a short adjective?

Context is king. Это красиво (This is beautiful) = adjective. Она поёт красиво (She sings beautifully) = adverb. Even Russians have to think about this one for a split second.

Q

Why does умный become умён?

That’s the fleeting vowel ё popping in to save the masculine form from being a consonant pile-up!

Short Adjective Gender/Number Agreement

Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
готов
готова
готово
готовы
рад
рада
радо
рады
болен
больна
больно
больны
умён
умна
умно
умны
занят
занята
занято
заняты
свободен
свободна
свободно
свободны

Meanings

Short adjectives are a special form of qualitative adjectives used primarily as the predicate in a sentence to denote a temporary or permanent state.

1

Predicative State

Describing the state of a subject.

“Он готов.”

“Она рада.”

Reference Table

Reference table for लघु विशेषण: वर्तमान स्थिति का वर्णन (красив, готов)
Adjective (Long) Masculine (Short) Feminine (Short) Plural (Short)
красивый (beautiful)
красив
красива
красивы
готовый (ready)
готов
готова
готовы
занятый (busy)
занят
занята
заняты
свободный (free)
свободен
свободна
свободны
нужный (necessary)
нужен
нужна
нужны
здоровый (healthy)
здоров
здорова
здоровы

औपचारिकता का स्तर

औपचारिक
Он готов.

Он готов. (General)

तटस्थ
Он готов.

Он готов. (General)

अनौपचारिक
Он готов.

Он готов. (General)

बोलचाल
Он в теме.

Он в теме. (General)

Short vs. Long Adjectives

Russian Adjectives

Long Form

  • красивый Permanent quality
  • перед существительным Before noun

Short Form

  • красив Temporary state
  • после существительного After noun

Short Adjective Endings

Gender
Masculine Zero ending (Ø)
Feminine -а
Neuter -о
Plural -ы / -и
Example (Ready)
готов He is ready
готова She is ready
готово It is ready
готовы They are ready

How to form the Masculine Short Form

1

Remove long ending. Are there 2 consonants at the end?

YES
Insert 'е' or 'о' (fleeting vowel)
NO
Keep as is
2

Does the stem end in -н?

YES
Usually use 'е' (свободен)
NO ↓

Common Short-Only Adjectives

😊

Feelings

  • • рад (glad)
  • • должен (must)
  • • согласен (agree)
⏳

States

  • • занят (busy)
  • • готов (ready)
  • • свободен (free)

स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण

1

Я готов.

I am ready.

2

Она рада.

She is happy.

3

Он болен.

He is sick.

4

Дети здоровы.

The children are healthy.

1

Это ясно.

It is clear.

2

Ты прав.

You are right.

3

Они заняты.

They are busy.

4

Погода хороша.

The weather is good.

1

Я согласен с вами.

I agree with you.

2

Он был очень удивлён.

He was very surprised.

3

Задача трудна.

The task is difficult.

4

Они были уверены в успехе.

They were sure of success.

1

Его слова были полны смысла.

His words were full of meaning.

2

Я не намерен ждать.

I do not intend to wait.

3

Она была сердита на него.

She was angry at him.

4

Результаты были весьма скромны.

The results were quite modest.

1

Он был достоин этой награды.

He was worthy of this award.

2

Всё было сделано вовремя.

Everything was done on time.

3

Она была преисполнена решимости.

She was full of determination.

4

Это было крайне важно.

It was extremely important.

1

Он был свободен от предрассудков.

He was free from prejudices.

2

Она была верна своим принципам.

She was true to her principles.

3

Город был окружён лесами.

The city was surrounded by forests.

4

Он был лишён выбора.

He was deprived of a choice.

आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले

Short Adjectives: Describing 'Right Now' (красив, готов) बनाम Full vs Short Adjectives

Learners use full adjectives where short are required.

Short Adjectives: Describing 'Right Now' (красив, готов) बनाम Short Adjective vs Adverb

Neuter short adjectives look like adverbs.

Short Adjectives: Describing 'Right Now' (красив, готов) बनाम Short Adjective vs Participle

Short passive participles look like short adjectives.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

✗

Красив дом.

✓

Дом красивый.

Short adjectives cannot modify nouns directly.
✗

Он готову.

✓

Он готов.

Masculine short form has no ending.
✗

Они готов.

✓

Они готовы.

Plural requires -ы/-и.
✗

Я есть готов.

✓

Я готов.

The verb 'to be' is omitted in present tense.
✗

Она болен.

✓

Она больна.

Gender mismatch.
✗

Это было ясному.

✓

Это было ясно.

Short adjectives don't decline by case.
✗

Они занят.

✓

Они заняты.

Plural agreement error.
✗

Он был очень занятый.

✓

Он был очень занят.

Predicative position prefers short form.
✗

Она была сердитая на него.

✓

Она была сердита на него.

Short form is more natural for state.
✗

Они были уверены в успехе.

✓

Они были уверены в успехе.

Correct, but learners often use full form.
✗

Он был достоинный награды.

✓

Он был достоин награды.

Short form is required here.
✗

Всё было сделанный.

✓

Всё было сделано.

Short participle usage.
✗

Она была преисполненная решимости.

✓

Она была преисполнена решимости.

Short form is required.

वाक्य संरचनाएँ

Я ___.

Он был ___.

Она ___ в успехе.

Всё ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Я готов!

Job Interview common

Я готов к работе.

Social Media common

Всё ясно.

Travel occasional

Я свободен.

Food Delivery occasional

Заказ готов.

Academic Report common

Результаты важны.

⚠️

Word Order Matters

Short adjectives never go before the noun. 'Красивый дом' is okay, but 'Красив дом' is not. Always say 'Дом красив'.
🎯

The 'Must' Hack

The word for 'must' (должен) is a short adjective. It changes by gender: он должен, она должна, они должны.
💬

Politeness in Short Forms

Using the short form 'здоров' (healthy) is common in the greeting 'Будь здоров!' (Be healthy/Bless you).

Smart Tips

Always use the short form if you are using the verb 'to be'.

Он есть хороший. → Он хорош.

Check if you need to add a fleeting vowel.

Он умн. → Он умён.

Don't forget the -ы/-и ending.

Они готов. → Они готовы.

Use short adjectives for a professional tone.

Я очень занятый человек. → Я занят.

उच्चारण

умён (u-MYON)

Stress

Stress in short adjectives can shift compared to full forms.

Statement

Он готов. ↓

Falling intonation for facts.

याद करें

स्मृति सहायक

Short adjectives are like 'stamps'—they mark the subject's state, but they don't move around like full adjectives.

दृश्य संबंध

Imagine a person standing on a scale. The scale shows their state (e.g., 'Ready', 'Happy'). The scale is the 'short' form, fixed in place.

Rhyme

Short and sweet, the state is neat, gender and number make it complete.

Story

Ivan was 'готов' (ready). Maria was 'рада' (happy). They were 'заняты' (busy). The house was 'пусто' (empty).

Word Web

готоврадболензанятправумён

चैलेंज

Write 5 sentences describing how you and your friends feel right now using short adjectives.

सांस्कृतिक नोट्स

Short adjectives are often used in formal correspondence to sound more professional.

Short adjectives were heavily used in socialist realism to describe heroic states.

Short adjectives are used for brevity in quick status updates.

Short adjectives are the original nominal forms of adjectives in Proto-Slavic.

बातचीत की शुरुआत

“

Ты готов к экзамену?

“

Ты согласен с этим мнением?

“

Ты занят сегодня?

“

Ты уверен в своём решении?

डायरी विषय

Describe how you feel today using short adjectives.
Write about a time you were surprised.
Discuss a difficult task you completed.
Reflect on your goals for the future.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct short form of 'готовый'.

Мама, обед ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: готов
'Обед' is masculine, so we use the masculine short form 'готов'.
Find the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Она очень занят сегодня.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Она очень занята сегодня.
The subject 'Она' is feminine, so the adjective must be 'занята'.
Match the pronoun with the correct short form of 'свободный'. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Masculine uses the fleeting vowel 'е', feminine adds 'а', and plural adds 'ы'.

Score: /3

अभ्यास प्रश्न

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Он ___ (ready).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: готов
Masculine short form.
Choose the correct form. बहुविकल्पी

Она ___ (happy).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: рада
Feminine short form.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Красив дом.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Дом красивый.
Short adjectives don't modify nouns.
Change to short form. Sentence Transformation

Это был трудный урок.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Урок был труден.
Predicative position.
True or False? True False Rule

Short adjectives decline by case.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
They do not decline.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

Ты готов? - Да, я ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: готов
Agreement with 'я'.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

болен / он / сегодня

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Он сегодня болен.
Standard word order.
Sort by gender. Grammar Sorting

Sort: готов, готова, готово, готовы.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: M, F, N, Pl
Correct order.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank: I agree (masculine). खाली जगह भरो

Я ___ с тобой.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: согласен
Translate to Russian: 'The coffee is cold.' (neuter) अनुवाद

Кофе (masc. in Russian) ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: холоден
Reorder to say 'You are right' (to a woman). Sentence Reorder

права / Ты

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ты права
Which is the correct short form for 'умный' (masculine)? बहुविकल्पी

Он очень ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: умён
Fix the sentence: 'The window is open.' Error Correction

Окно открыт.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Окно открыто.
Match the adjective with its masculine short form. Match Pairs

Match them:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Fill in the blank: 'The girls are beautiful.' खाली जगह भरो

Девушки ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: красивы
How do you say 'I'm glad' (feminine)? बहुविकल्पी

Я ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: рада
Translate: 'It is important.' अनुवाद

Это ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: важно
Reorder: 'Are you busy?' (to a man) Sentence Reorder

Ты / занят / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ты занят?

Score: /10

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (8)

No, that is a common mistake. Use full adjectives instead.

No, they are indeclinable.

It's for pronunciation when two consonants meet.

Yes, especially for states like 'ready' or 'busy'.

Most qualitative adjectives do, but check a dictionary.

It depends on the context. If it modifies a verb, it's an adverb.

They can be, but they are also very common in daily life.

'Он занят' means he is busy right now. 'Он занятый' means he is a busy person generally.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Ser/Estar

Russian doesn't change the verb, but changes the adjective form.

German high

Predicative adjectives

German adjectives don't change for gender in the predicate.

French moderate

Adjectifs attributs

French doesn't have a separate 'short' form.

Japanese low

i-adjectives

Japanese adjectives don't have gender.

Arabic moderate

Nominal sentence

Arabic has complex gender/number agreement.

Chinese low

Adjectival verbs

Chinese has no gender or number.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
रूसी विशेषण लिंग समझौता: (новый, новая, новое)

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