Цена весьма высокая.

Breakdown of Цена весьма высокая.

высокий
high
цена
the price
весьма
very (formal)

Questions & Answers about Цена весьма высокая.

Why is there no word for is in this sentence?

In Russian, the verb to be is normally omitted in the present tense.

So:

  • Цена весьма высокая. = The price is quite high.

There is no present-tense word corresponding to English is here. This is completely normal Russian.

In the past or future, Russian does use forms of to be:

  • Цена была весьма высокой. = The price was quite high.
  • Цена будет весьма высокой. = The price will be quite high.

Why does высокая end in -ая?

Because it must agree with цена.

The noun цена is:

So the adjective also has to be:

  • feminine
  • singular
  • nominative

That gives:

  • masculine: высокий
  • feminine: высокая
  • neuter: высокое
  • plural: высокие

So:

  • высокая цена = a high price
  • цена высокая = the price is high

What case are the words in here?

Both цена and высокая are in the nominative case.

  • цена is the subject
  • высокая is the predicate adjective describing the subject

This is a very common pattern in Russian:

  • Дом большой. = The house is big.
  • Погода хорошая. = The weather is good.
  • Цена высокая. = The price is high.

What does весьма mean exactly?

Весьма means something like:

  • quite
  • rather
  • very
  • considerably

The exact translation depends on context and tone.

In this sentence, Цена весьма высокая suggests something like:

  • The price is quite high
  • The price is rather high

A useful thing to know: весьма sounds a bit more formal or bookish than очень.

Compare:

  • Цена очень высокая. = neutral, everyday
  • Цена весьма высокая. = more formal, polished, sometimes slightly literary

Can I replace весьма with очень?

Yes.
Цена очень высокая is perfectly natural and probably more common in everyday speech.

Compare the tone:

  • очень = the standard everyday word for very
  • весьма = more formal, refined, or written

So both are correct, but they do not sound exactly the same stylistically.


Why does Russian use high for a price? Is that the same metaphor as in English?

Yes, basically the same idea.

Russian says:

  • высокая цена = high price
  • низкая цена = low price

So this works very much like English:

  • Цена высокая. = The price is high.
  • Цена низкая. = The price is low.

This is a normal and standard way to talk about prices.


Could I say Цена весьма высока instead of Цена весьма высокая?

Yes, you could. That uses the short form adjective:

  • высокая = full form
  • высока = short form

So both are possible:

  • Цена весьма высокая
  • Цена весьма высока

The difference is mostly stylistic:

  • высокая sounds more neutral and common in modern speech
  • высока sounds a bit more formal, concise, or bookish

For many learners, the full form высокая is the safer everyday choice.


Is the word order fixed?

No, Russian word order is fairly flexible, but changing it can change the focus or emphasis.

Neutral statement:

  • Цена весьма высокая. = The price is quite high.

Other possibilities:

  • Весьма высокая цена. = A rather high price / Quite a high price
    This is now a noun phrase, not quite the same sentence structure.
  • Высокая цена. = A high price
  • Цена высокая. = The price is high

So the original order is natural and straightforward for a full statement.


Why is there no article like the or a?

Russian has no articles.

So цена can mean:

  • the price
  • a price

Which one is meant depends on the context.

In this sentence, English usually translates it as the price is quite high, but Russian itself does not mark that distinction with an article.


How do I pronounce Цена весьма высокая?

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide is:

  • це-на́
  • весь-ма́
  • вы-со́-ка-я

Main stresses:

  • цена́
  • весьма́
  • высо́кая

Very rough English-style approximation:

  • tsy-na
  • vyes-MA
  • vy-SO-ka-ya

A few notes:

  • ц sounds like ts
  • stressed syllables are important in Russian
  • unstressed vowels are often reduced in actual speech

Does this sentence sound natural in everyday Russian?

Yes, but with a small note about style.

  • Цена высокая. = very natural, neutral
  • Цена очень высокая. = very natural, common
  • Цена весьма высокая. = natural, but a bit more formal or polished

So the sentence is correct and natural, but весьма gives it a slightly more formal tone than ordinary conversation often has.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
“What's the best way to learn Russian grammar?”
Russian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Russian

Master Russian — from Цена весьма высокая to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions