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Questions & Answers about Мой друг хороший.
Why is there no verb in the sentence?
In Russian, the present tense of the verb “to be” (быть) is usually omitted. Thus, “Мой друг хороший” is a complete sentence that means “My friend is good” even though there’s no explicit “is.”
How do the adjectives agree with the noun in this sentence?
Both мой (my) and хороший (good) agree with друг (friend) in gender, number, and case. Since друг is masculine, singular, and in the nominative case, the adjectives take the respective masculine, singular nominative forms.
What is the difference between using an adjective before or after the noun in Russian?
When adjectives are used attributively (directly modifying a noun), they normally precede the noun—as in хороший друг (“good friend”). In the sentence “Мой друг хороший,” the adjective хороший is used predicatively (describing the subject), which is why it follows the noun. This word order, along with the omitted copula, is a common characteristic of Russian sentences in the present tense.
Why does the sentence omit the verb “to be”?
Russian commonly drops the present tense form of the verb “to be.” This zero-copula feature means that descriptive sentences like “Мой друг хороший” communicate the idea “My friend is good” without needing an explicit linking verb.
What does each word in “Мой друг хороший” mean?
Мой means “my,” друг means “friend,” and хороший means “good” (or “nice”). Together, the sentence translates to “My friend is good.”