Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Этот мост опасный.
Why is there no linking verb (like "is") in the sentence "Этот мост опасный."?
In Russian, the present tense of the verb “to be” (быть) is usually omitted. The sentence directly states “This bridge dangerous,” which is understood as “This bridge is dangerous” in English. The absence of a linking verb is a standard grammatical feature in Russian.
Why is "этот" used instead of "это" or "эта"?
The word “этот” is the masculine singular form of the demonstrative pronoun “this.” Since “мост” (bridge) is a masculine noun, its modifying words—including demonstratives—must agree in gender, number, and case. Therefore, “этот” is used.
Why is the adjective "опасный" in its full form rather than in the short form "опасен"?
Both the full form “опасный” and the short form “опасен” can be used as a predicate adjective in Russian. In this sentence, the full form is chosen to emphasize the inherent quality of the bridge. Although “Этот мост опасен” would also be correct and mean “This bridge is dangerous,” the full form can sometimes carry a slightly more descriptive or stylistic nuance.
Why does the adjective "опасный" come after the noun "мост" rather than before it?
In this construction, the adjective functions as a predicate complement and follows the subject. While Russian word order is generally flexible, predicate adjectives that describe an inherent quality typically come after the noun, especially when the linking verb is omitted.
Could the sentence be rephrased as "Этот опасный мост," and would that change the meaning?
Yes, “Этот опасный мост” is grammatically correct and means “This dangerous bridge.” However, when the adjective is placed before the noun, it functions attributively—directly modifying “мост.” This slight change in placement shifts the emphasis from a predicate description (a comment about the bridge) to an attributive description (an inherent quality of the bridge). The overall meaning remains similar, but the focus and style differ subtly.
What grammatical cases are used in the sentence "Этот мост опасный"?
All the words in the sentence are in the nominative case. “Мост” is a masculine noun in the nominative singular, “этот” is the corresponding masculine singular demonstrative pronoun, and “опасный” is the nominative masculine singular adjective. This agreement in case, gender, and number signals that “мост” is the subject and “опасный” is its predicate descriptor.