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Questions & Answers about Мой друг сильный.
Why is there no verb like is in the sentence Мой друг сильный.?
In Russian, the present tense of the verb to be is typically omitted. The sentence literally translates to My friend strong, with the linking verb is understood from the context.
How do the possessive pronoun, noun, and adjective agree in this sentence?
In Russian, adjectives and possessive pronouns must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. Here, Мой is the masculine singular possessive pronoun, друг is a masculine singular noun, and сильный is the corresponding masculine singular nominative form of the adjective strong.
Why does the adjective сильный end with -ый?
The ending -ый is the standard form for masculine singular adjectives in the nominative case. Since друг is a masculine noun that serves as the subject of the sentence, the adjective must also be in the masculine singular nominative form, hence сильный.
Can the word order in Мой друг сильный be changed, and does it affect the meaning?
Russian allows for flexible word order. Although Мой друг сильный follows the common subject–predicate structure, rearrangements like Сильный мой друг are also grammatically correct. Changing the order might add emphasis to different parts of the sentence, but the overall meaning remains the same.
Could the full form сильный be replaced by the short form силён in this sentence?
Both forms can function as predicate adjectives in Russian. However, the full form (сильный) often emphasizes an inherent quality, while the short form (силён) might be used in more neutral or stylistic contexts. In this sentence, using сильный is appropriate for expressing a lasting characteristic of the friend.