Это только слух.

Это means this or it here.

In sentences like Это только слух, Russian very often uses это to introduce or identify something:

• Это правда. = It’s true.
• Это ошибка. = It’s a mistake.
• Это только слух. = It’s only a rumor.

So это is doing the job of English it/this is at the start of an identifying statement.

In present-tense Russian, the verb to be is usually omitted.

So English:

• It is only a rumor.

becomes Russian:

• Это только слух.

There is no present-tense есть here. Using есть in this kind of sentence would usually sound unnatural or give a different emphasis.

This is very normal in Russian:

• Он врач. = He is a doctor.
• Это проблема. = This is a problem.
• Это только слух. = It is only a rumor.

Here только means only or just.

So the sentence means something like:

• It’s only a rumor.
• It’s just a rumor.

It downplays the importance or certainty of the statement.

A close variant is:

• Это всего лишь слух. = It’s only / merely a rumor.

That version can sound a little more explicit or emphatic than только.

Here слух means rumor, report, or hearsay.

Be careful: слух can also mean hearing as a sense, depending on context. For example:

• У него хороший слух. = He has good hearing / He has a good ear.

But in Это только слух, the meaning is clearly rumor.

So this is one of those Russian words whose meaning depends on context.

Yes, слух here is singular and means a rumor.

• Это только слух. = It’s only a rumor.

Russian can also use the plural:

• Это только слухи. = These are only rumors.

The singular often refers to one report or one claim. The plural refers to rumors in general or multiple pieces of gossip.

Both are possible, depending on what you mean.

Because it is the predicate noun in a simple identifying sentence.

In Это только слух, the structure is basically:

• This/it = only a rumor

So the noun stays in the nominative:

• слух

This is common with это sentences:

• Это книга.
• Это проблема.
• Это слух.

You do not need another case here.

Russian has no articles like a and the, so you infer that from context.

By itself, Это только слух most naturally means:

• It’s only a rumor.

In a different context, it could be understood as the rumor, but English usually prefers a rumor here unless something specific has already been mentioned.

So Russian leaves that choice to context, while English forces you to choose.

Yes, it is understandable and natural.

That said, depending on tone and context, native speakers might also say:

• Это всего лишь слух. = It’s only just a rumor.
• Это просто слух. = It’s just a rumor.
• Это слухи. = Those are rumors.

Это только слух is perfectly fine, but Это всего лишь слух may sound a bit more idiomatic in some situations.

Yes, but the emphasis would change.

Neutral order:

• Это только слух.

Possible alternatives:

• Это слух только. — less natural in most contexts
• Только это слух. — unusual, strongly marked
• Слух только. — incomplete or poetic-sounding

For learners, Это только слух is the best standard order.

Russian word order is flexible, but not random. The basic version here is the safest one to use.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• Это только слух
  EH-tuh TOHL-kuh slookh

Stress:

• Э́то
• то́лько
• слух (one syllable)

A few notes:

• э in это sounds like e in met, but a bit clearer.
• льк in только is soft before к, so the л is palatalized.
• х in слух is the Russian kh sound, like the ch in Scottish loch or German Bach, not English h.

In real context, usually no.

Although слух can mean hearing, the sentence Это только слух is normally understood as It’s only a rumor.

If you wanted to talk about hearing, the surrounding words would usually make that clear, for example:

• Это только слух, не зрение. = It’s only hearing, not sight.

Without that kind of context, people will almost certainly hear слух here as rumor.