Learn Hardcore Russian: Я понимаю письмо.

Russian does not have articles, so nouns appear without a definite or indefinite article. In the sentence Я понимаю письмо, письмо is used without an equivalent to the English “the.”

Is it mandatory to include the subject pronoun Я in the sentence?

No, it is not mandatory. Russian verb conjugations, such as понимаю for first person singular, already indicate the subject. The pronoun Я can be omitted unless you want to emphasize or clarify who is performing the action.

What case is письмо in, and why does it look the same as its nominative form?

Письмо is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb понимать. However, many neuter singular nouns in Russian have identical forms in both the nominative and accusative cases, which is why письмо appears unchanged.

What aspect does the verb понимаю convey, and what is its significance?

Понимаю comes from понимать, which is an imperfective verb. The imperfective aspect shows that the action of understanding is ongoing, habitual, or a general ability, without emphasizing its completion.

How is the verb понимать conjugated in this sentence, and what does signify?