Learn Hardcore Russian: Это большой дом.

Это is a demonstrative pronoun that can be translated as “this” or used in the sense of “it is.” In Это большой дом, it introduces the sentence much like saying “This is...” in English.

Why is there no verb equivalent to “is” in this sentence?

In Russian, the present tense of the verb “to be” is typically omitted. Although the English translation is “This is a big house,” the linking verb “is” isn’t required in Russian, making Это большой дом a complete sentence by itself.

How does the adjective большой agree with the noun дом?

The adjective большой means “big” and is in the masculine nominative singular form. It matches the noun дом (meaning “house”), which is also masculine. In Russian, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case.

Can the word order be changed in this sentence, such as placing the adjective after the noun?

Yes, Russian has a relatively flexible word order, so variations like Это дом большой are possible. However, Это большой дом is the most neutral and commonly used structure. Changing the order can sometimes alter the emphasis or nuance in the sentence.