A1 Basic Verbs 5 min read 简单

消失的“是”动词（零系词）

In present tense Russian, simply place the subject next to the description—no 'am', 'is', or 'are' required.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Russian, you don't need a verb to say 'is' or 'are' in the present tense.

  • Drop the verb 'to be' entirely in the present tense: 'Я студент' (I [am] a student).
  • Use a dash (—) in writing when connecting two nouns: 'Москва — столица' (Moscow is the capital).
  • For negatives, use 'не' before the noun or adjective: 'Он не врач' (He is not a doctor).
Subject + (no verb) + Complement

Overview

有没有发现俄语母语者说话时总像是在赶时间？如果你看到一个 Instagram 简介上写着 Я фотограф（我 摄影师），你可能会觉得他们漏掉了一个词。在英语或汉语中，我们离不开“是”这个动词。我们不停地说“我是”、“你是”、“这是”。但在俄语中，现在时态的“是”基本上在几个世纪前就进入了永久休假模式。这被称为“零系词”（Zero Copula）。这不是错误，而是一个特色。它让这门语言变得异常高效。你不需要中间人来连接你的主语和描述。你只需把它们放在一起。这就像语言界的直达航班——没有中转。如果你习惯了英语或汉语，你的大脑可能会尖叫着说少了点什么。其实并没有。俄语只是信任你能理解这种联系。把它看作是动词界终极的极简主义生活方式。既然两个词就能搞定，为什么要说三个词呢？只是别告诉 быть（是）我们在背后议论它；它在过去时和将来时还是会现身的，就像那个只有在有免费食物时才会出现在派对上的朋友。

How This Grammar Works

在现在时中，动词 есть（“是”的现在时形式）几乎总是隐形的。它存在于阴影中。当你想要说“咖啡是凉的”，你只需说 Кофе холодный。注意这里没有“是”。主语（Кофе）和形容词（холодный）就这么并排坐着。这适用于所有人：“我”、“你”、“他”、“她”、“他们”，甚至办公室的打印机。现在时不需要记忆动词变位，因为根本没有动词可以变位。不过，在书写中你会看到一个视觉线索：破折号（—）。如果你连接两个名词（比如“伊万是医生”），你通常会用破折号代替那个隐形的动词：Иван — врач。它就像是动词幽灵的占位符。如果你使用形容词，通常不需要破折号。这是一个微妙的区别，能让你的书写看起来更专业。如果你在给朋友发短信，你可能会完全跳过破折号，因为在 WhatsApp 上大家都很懒。

Formation Pattern

1
造这些句子可能是你在俄语学习中最容易的事情。遵循以下步骤：
2
确定你的主语（你正在谈论的人或物）。
3
决定你想对他们说什么（名词、形容词或地点）。
4
把它们并排放在一起，中间绝对不加任何东西。
5
例如：
6
主语：Я（我）
7
描述：студент（学生）
8
结果：Я студент.（我是学生。）
9
如果你想说你在哪里：
10
主语：Мы（我们）
11
地点：в парке（在公园）
12
结果：Мы в парке.（我们在公园。）
13
这简直就是拖拽系统。没有不规则动词，没有“是/在”的混淆。它简单得让人觉得在作弊。只需记住，如果两部分都是名词，破折号 — 是你保持清晰表达的好帮手。

When To Use It

在现在时中，几乎所有情况都使用这种模式。
  • 身份： 告诉别人你的名字、工作或国籍。Я американец（我是美国人）。
  • 特征： 描述某物看起来或感觉怎么样。Этот фильм скучный（这部电影很无聊）。
  • 位置： 说你或你的 Uber 司机在哪里。Машина здесь（车在这里）。
  • 存在状态： Я дома（我在家）。
你很少会真正说出 есть 这个词。通常只有在谈论存在或拥有时才会用到（比如“我有……”即 У меня есть...）。在你 95% 的日常对话中，动词都是幽灵。无论是在应用上订餐，还是在 Zoom 会议上做自我介绍，直接跳过“是”的部分。这让你听起来像个地道的主讲人，还能省口气。

Common Mistakes

初学者最大的陷阱就是试图翻译每一个词的“多邻国习惯”。你会因为词典里有 есть 就想去用它。千万别这么做。说 Я есть студент 听起来就像你是从 17 世纪穿越回来的，或者是一个非常困惑的机器人。另一个错误是忘记名词之间的破折号。虽然人们能听懂，但写 Мой папа адвокат 而不加破折号（Мой папа — адвокат）就像忘记句子开头首字母大写一样。这不是世界末日，但看起来有点乱。另外，注意语序。虽然俄语语序灵活，但把形容词放在名词前（Холодный кофе）会让它变成一个短语（“凉咖啡”），而放在后面（Кофе холодный）则让它变成一个陈述句（“咖啡是凉的”）。这是一个微小的变化，但对意思有很大影响。

Contrast With Similar Patterns

将此与过去时和将来时区分开来非常重要。俄语只在现在时删除“是”。如果你想说“我曾是一名学生”，动词就会从假期回来：Я был студентом。如果你想说“我将成为一名学生”，那就是 Я буду студентом。现在时是你在句子结构上获得“买一送一”优惠的唯一时期。此外，不要把这与 это（这/那是）这个词混淆。有时人们用 это 代替破折号，特别是在定义某物时：Москва — это город（莫斯科是一个城市）。这完全没问题，而且增加了一点强调。把破折号看作是动词的“静音模式”，把 это 看作是“震动模式”。

Quick FAQ

问：我会在表达“我是/是”的时候用到 есть 吗？
答：在表达身份时几乎从不使用。仅用于表示拥有（У меня есть...）或强调某物确实存在。
问：破折号是必须的吗？
答：在两个名词之间的正式书写中是必须的。在非正式短信或与形容词连用时则不必。
问：这适用于疑问句吗？
答：是的！只需改变语调。Ты дома?（你在家吗？）。不需要额外的词。
问：俄语为什么要这么做？
答：效率！俄语语法在变格方面已经够难了；它决定在这一点上让我们休息一下。趁现在享受这种简单吧！

Present Tense 'To Be' (Zero Copula)

Person Russian English
I
Я [—] ...
I am ...
You (inf)
Ты [—] ...
You are ...
He/She/It
Он/Она/Оно [—] ...
He/She/It is ...
We
Мы [—] ...
We are ...
You (pl/form)
Вы [—] ...
You are ...
They
Они [—] ...
They are ...

Meanings

The Russian language omits the present tense of the verb 'to be' (быть) in standard declarative sentences.

1

Identity

Defining who or what someone/something is.

“Я учитель.”

“Она студентка.”

2

Location

Stating where something is located.

“Магазин здесь.”

“Ключи в сумке.”

3

Quality/State

Describing a state or property.

“Погода хорошая.”

“Кофе горячий.”

Reference Table

Reference table for 消失的“是”动词（零系词）
Subject Russian Example English Translation
Я (I)
Я блогер.
I am a blogger.
Ты (You - informal)
Ты здесь?
Are you here?
Он / Она (He / She)
Он — врач.
He is a doctor.
Мы (We)
Мы в кино.
We are at the cinema.
Вы (You - formal/plural)
Вы готовы?
Are you ready?
Они (They)
Они дома.
They are at home.

正式程度

正式
Он является врачом.

Он является врачом. (Professional introduction)

中性
Он врач.

Он врач. (Professional introduction)

非正式
Он врач.

Он врач. (Professional introduction)

俚语
Он врач.

Он врач. (Professional introduction)

When the Verb 'To Be' Disappears

Zero Copula

Identity

  • Я студент I am a student

Location

  • Он дома He is home

Quality

  • Суп вкусный The soup is tasty

English vs. Russian Structure

English (Visible Verb)
I am a doctor 3 words
The water is cold 4 words
Russian (Ghost Verb)
Я врач 2 words
Вода холодная 2 words

Should I use 'есть'?

1

Is it Present Tense?

YES
Go to next question
NO
Use 'был' (past) or 'буду' (future)
2

Are you saying 'I have'?

YES
Use 'У меня есть'
NO ↓
3

Are you describing a person or thing?

YES
Omit the verb!
NO
Omit the verb!

Common Dash Usage

✍️

Noun + Noun (Use Dash)

  • • Москва — город
  • • Иван — брат
  • • Кошка — животное
🎨

Noun + Adjective (No Dash)

  • • Дом большой
  • • Чай сладкий
  • • День хороший
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按水平分级的例句

1

Я студент.

I am a student.

2

Она дома.

She is at home.

3

Погода хорошая.

The weather is good.

4

Это не мой телефон.

This is not my phone.

1

Москва — столица России.

Moscow is the capital of Russia.

2

Книга на столе.

The book is on the table.

3

Мы не готовы.

We are not ready.

4

Твой кофе горячий?

Is your coffee hot?

1

Работа интересная, но трудная.

The work is interesting but difficult.

2

Все люди здесь — мои друзья.

All the people here are my friends.

3

Сегодня я не в настроении.

I am not in the mood today.

4

Где ключи? Они в машине.

Where are the keys? They are in the car.

1

Эта ситуация — серьезный вызов для нас.

This situation is a serious challenge for us.

2

Результаты эксперимента — в отчете.

The results of the experiment are in the report.

3

Он не тот человек, который нам нужен.

He is not the person we need.

4

Ваше мнение для меня очень важно.

Your opinion is very important to me.

1

Истина — в деталях.

The truth is in the details.

2

Его слова — лишь пустые обещания.

His words are just empty promises.

3

Вся эта суета — не для меня.

All this hustle is not for me.

4

Счастье — это когда тебя понимают.

Happiness is when you are understood.

1

Жизнь — не только работа.

Life is not just work.

2

Любовь — величайшее чувство.

Love is the greatest feeling.

3

Всякий человек — кузнец своего счастья.

Every person is the smith of their own happiness.

4

Их решение — окончательное.

Their decision is final.

容易混淆

The Missing "To Be" (Zero Copula) 对比 Zero Copula vs. 'Есть'

Learners think 'есть' means 'is'.

The Missing "To Be" (Zero Copula) 对比 Zero Copula vs. Past Tense

Learners omit the verb in the past tense.

The Missing "To Be" (Zero Copula) 对比 Zero Copula vs. Future Tense

Learners omit the verb in the future tense.

常见错误

✗

Я есть студент

✓

Я студент

Never use 'есть' for identity.
✗

Он есть дома

✓

Он дома

Never use 'есть' for location.
✗

Погода есть хорошая

✓

Погода хорошая

Never use 'есть' for states.
✗

Я студентка

✓

Я студентка

This is actually correct, but beginners often add 'есть'.
✗

Москва столица

✓

Москва — столица

Missing the dash in writing.
✗

Книга на столе есть

✓

Книга на столе

Putting 'есть' at the end.
✗

Мы не есть готовы

✓

Мы не готовы

Incorrect negation.
✗

Это есть мой друг

✓

Это мой друг

Using 'есть' for identification.
✗

Они не являются дома

✓

Они не дома

Using 'являются' (to be/appear) which is too formal.
✗

Он — врач

✓

Он врач

Dash is optional but sometimes overused.
✗

Я буду дома сейчас

✓

Я дома сейчас

Using future tense for present.
✗

Это есть правда

✓

Это правда

Using 'есть' in a philosophical sense.
✗

Он — не мой брат

✓

Он не мой брат

Dash is unnecessary here.

句型

Я ___.

___ в Москве.

Погода ___.

Москва — ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Я дома.

Social Media very common

Студент МГУ.

Job Interview common

Я готов к работе.

Ordering Food common

Кофе без сахара.

Travel common

Отель здесь.

Formal Report common

Результат — положительный.

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🎯

The 'Is' Dash

When writing, if you can replace the word 'is' with a dash in your head, do it in Russian too! It's especially important when connecting two nouns.
⚠️

Avoid 'есть' Overload

English speakers often use 'есть' because it's the first word they learn. In Russian, using it for 'am/is/are' makes you sound very foreign. Trust the silence!
💬

Texting Efficiency

In WhatsApp or Telegram, Russians often drop pronouns too if the context is clear. 'Дома' can mean 'I am home' if you're answering the question 'Where are you?'

Smart Tips

Just say the pronoun and the adjective.

Я есть счастливый. → Я счастливый.

Just say the pronoun and the location.

Он есть в парке. → Он в парке.

Use a dash to connect the two nouns.

Москва город. → Москва — город.

Put 'не' before the word you are negating.

Я не есть дома. → Я не дома.

发音

Ты дома? (↗)

Intonation

In questions, raise your pitch on the word that is being questioned.

Question

Ты дома? ↗

Asking for confirmation.

记住它

记忆技巧

Think of the Russian 'to be' as a ghost—it's there in spirit, but you can't see it!

视觉联想

Imagine a blank space where the word 'is' should be. When you speak, just jump over that blank space.

Rhyme

In Russian present, keep it lean, skip the verb 'to be' and stay serene.

Story

Ivan is a student. He is in Moscow. He is happy. In Russian, Ivan just says: 'Ivan student. Ivan in Moscow. Ivan happy.' He saves time and energy by skipping the invisible verb.

Word Web

ЯТыОнОнаМыВыОнине

挑战

Look around your room and describe 5 things using the zero copula (e.g., 'Lamp on table', 'Window open').

文化笔记

The zero copula is a sign of directness. Russians value clarity and brevity in speech.

Ukrainian also uses a zero copula in the present tense, similar to Russian.

Belarusian also follows the zero copula rule.

The zero copula evolved from Old East Slavic where the copula was gradually dropped in the present tense.

对话开场白

“

Ты студент?

“

Погода сегодня хорошая?

“

Где твой друг?

“

Твоя работа интересная?

日记主题

Describe yourself in 5 sentences using the zero copula.
Describe your room.
Write about your best friend.
Compare your city to Moscow.

常见错误

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

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Test Yourself

Complete the sentence 'I am a blogger' in Russian.

Я ___. (blogger)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: блогер
In the present tense, you don't use 'есть' or 'быть'. You just say 'Я блогер'.
Which sentence is natural Russian for 'Where is the car?' 多项选择

Choose the correct translation:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Где машина?
Russian omits 'is' in questions about location. 'Где машина?' is the standard way to ask.
Remove the unnecessary word from this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Он есть мой друг.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Он мой друг.
The verb 'есть' is redundant and sounds unnatural when identifying someone.

Score: /3

练习题

8 exercises
Fill in the missing verb (if any).

Я ___ студент.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: —
No verb is needed in the present tense.
Choose the correct sentence. 多项选择

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Я дома.
The zero copula is the correct form for present tense.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Он есть врач.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Он врач.
Remove 'есть'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

дома / я / сейчас

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Я сейчас дома.
Standard word order.
Translate to Russian. 翻译

She is a student.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Она студентка.
Correct gender and zero copula.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Москва / столица

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Москва — столица.
Use a dash for noun-noun identity.
Sort by tense. Grammar Sorting

Which is present tense?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Я дома.
Zero copula is present tense.
Match the sentence to its meaning. Match Pairs

Я дома.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I am at home.
Correct translation.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate 'We are at home' to Russian. 翻译

We are at home.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Мы дома
Put the words in order to say 'The pizza is hot'. Sentence Reorder

горячая / Пицца

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Пицца горячая
Match the English to the Russian. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I am a doctor | Я врач, He is here | Он здесь, They are ready | Они готовы, It is hot | Жарко
Add the dash where it belongs: 'Moscow — a city'. 填空

Москва ___ город.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: —
How do you say 'Are you ready?' formally? 多项选择

Pick the formal version:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Вы готовы?
Fix the sentence: 'The tea is cold'. Error Correction

Чай есть холодный.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Чай холодный.
Translate 'She is my sister'. 翻译

She is my sister.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Она моя сестра
Ask 'Where is the metro?'. 填空

Где ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: метро
Say 'I am tired' (male speaker). Sentence Reorder

устал / Я

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Я устал
Which one is an Instagram bio style? 多项选择

Choose the bio style:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Максим — фотограф

Score: /10

常见问题 (8)

It's a historical evolution. The language became more efficient by dropping it in the present.

Yes, but it means 'to eat' or 'there is/exists'. Never use it for 'I am'.

In the past, you must use 'был/была/были'.

In the future, you must use 'буду/будешь/будет'.

The dash is standard for noun-noun sentences, but it's optional in casual writing.

No, it's one of the easiest rules in Russian!

Yes, it's standard in all registers.

People will understand you, but it will sound like you are saying 'I exist' or 'I eat'.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

Ser/Estar

Spanish uses two verbs; Russian uses zero.

French low

Être

French requires a verb; Russian does not.

German low

Sein

German requires a verb; Russian does not.

Japanese low

Desu

Japanese uses a copula; Russian uses zero.

Arabic partial

Pronoun as copula

Arabic uses a pronoun; Russian uses nothing.

Chinese low

Shi

Chinese uses 'shi'; Russian uses zero.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
俄语“叛逆”动词：想要、吃和生活（不规则动词）

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