В этом суть проблемы.

That is the essence of the problem.

Breakdown of В этом суть проблемы.

• в: in
• этот: this
• проблема: the problem
• суть: essence; main point

Questions & Answers about В этом суть проблемы.

Why is there no word for is in this sentence?

Russian usually omits the present-tense form of to be in sentences like this.

So:

• В этом суть проблемы. literally works like
• In this — the essence of the problem.

In natural English, we supply is:

• That is the essence of the problem
• That’s the crux of the problem

If you want extra emphasis in Russian, you can sometimes add и есть:

• В этом и есть суть проблемы.
  = That is exactly the essence of the problem.

But in the basic sentence, no verb is needed.

What does в этом mean here?

В этом literally means in this or in that.

In this sentence, it is used idiomatically to mean something like:

• that’s where it lies
• that’s the point
• that’s the crux

So В этом суть проблемы is not just a physical in this. It means:

• This is the heart of the problem
• That’s exactly what the problem is
• That’s the essence of the problem

It points to something previously mentioned or understood from context.

Why is it этом and not это?