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Questions & Answers about Эти книги хорошие.
Why is there no equivalent of the verb “are” in “Эти книги хорошие”?
In Russian, the present-tense linking verb (like “are” in English) is usually omitted in equational sentences. The sentence directly juxtaposes the subject “Эти книги” (these books) with the predicate adjective “хорошие” (good), and the meaning “are” is understood from the context.
How does the adjective “хорошие” agree with “книги” in this sentence?
The adjective “хорошие” is inflected to match the noun “книги” in gender, number, and case. Since “книга” is a feminine noun and its plural form is “книги,” the adjective must also appear in the feminine plural form. This agreement between adjectives and the nouns they modify is a key feature of Russian grammar.
What role does the demonstrative “эти” play in this sentence?
The word “эти” means “these” and functions as a demonstrative adjective. It specifies which books are being referred to, indicating that they are particular books known in the context. Like other adjectives in Russian, “эти” must agree with “книги” in number, gender, and case.
Is there any difference between saying “Эти книги хорошие” and “Эти хорошие книги”?
Both sentences are grammatically correct, but they can convey a slightly different emphasis. “Эти хорошие книги” directly combines the demonstrative and the quality as a single descriptive phrase, implying that the books are good among a group of books. In “Эти книги хорошие,” placing “хорошие” at the end sets it off as a predicate, which can emphasize the state or quality of the books. Despite these nuances, the overall meaning remains “these books are good.”
How would you form the negative version of this sentence, as in “These books are not good”?
To negate the sentence, you insert “не” before the adjective, resulting in “Эти книги не хорошие.” The negation does not affect the agreement; the adjective still matches “книги” in number, gender, and case. This structure is typical for forming negative equational sentences in Russian.
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