Learn Hardcore Russian: Холодильник заполнен свежими продуктами из огорода. - The refrigerator is filled with fresh produce from the vegetable garden.

In Russian, when indicating what something is filled or equipped with, the instrumental case is used to answer the question "чем?" (with what?). Here, "свежими продуктами" is the instrumental plural form of "свежие продукты," showing that the refrigerator is filled with fresh produce.

What does "заполнен" mean, and why is it used in this sentence?

"Заполнен" is a short passive form of the adjective derived from the verb "заполнить" (to fill), meaning "filled." It describes the state of the refrigerator. Russian often uses such passive adjectives to indicate the condition of the subject without requiring an explicit auxiliary verb like "is."

What role does the phrase "из огорода" play?

"Из огорода" is a prepositional phrase meaning "from the garden." The preposition "из" requires the genitive case (here, "огорода") and indicates the source of the fresh produce, telling us that the products originate from a vegetable garden or home garden.

How does the structure of this sentence compare to its English equivalent?

Much like the English sentence "The refrigerator is filled with fresh produce from the garden," the Russian sentence follows a subject–predicate pattern. However, Russian omits the present tense form of "to be" (is) and uses a short passive adjective ("заполнен") along with instrumental phrases instead of a full verb phrase.

Why isn’t there a linking verb such as "is" explicitly present in the sentence?

In Russian, the present tense of the verb "to be" (быть) is generally omitted. The state of being (in this case, "filled") is communicated directly with the adjective "заполнен." This omission is a common feature in Russian, making the sentence more concise.

What is the specific meaning of "огород," and how is it different from a garden in general?

"Огород" typically refers to a vegetable garden or a small plot where someone grows produce for personal or local consumption. It is more utilitarian compared to "сад," which often denotes a decorative garden or orchard. The use of "огород" in the sentence emphasizes that the fresh produce comes from a homegrown, vegetable-producing garden.