Learn Hardcore Russian: Мои цветы яркие, как солнце.

The comma is used because как солнце is a simile comparing the flowers' brightness to that of the sun. In Russian, when a simile is introduced by как, it is typically set off by a comma to signal that the comparison is an additional, descriptive element rather than an integral part of the predicate.

Why doesn’t the sentence include an explicit verb equivalent to “are” between цветы and яркие?

In Russian, the present tense of the verb быть ("to be") is usually omitted. The linkage between the subject (Мои цветы) and the predicate adjective (яркие) is understood without needing an explicit verb, which is a standard feature of Russian grammar in the present tense.

How do the adjectives Мои and яркие agree with the noun цветы?

Both Мои (my) and яркие (bright) must agree with цветы in gender, number, and case. Since цветы is a plural noun in the nominative case, the adjectives are also in the nominative plural form, ensuring grammatical consistency throughout the sentence.

What role does the phrase как солнце play in this sentence?

The phrase как солнце serves as a simile. It adds imagery by comparing the brightness of the flowers to that of the sun, thereby enhancing the descriptive quality of the predicate adjective яркие.

What case is солнце in, and is this typical for similes in Russian?

Солнце is in the nominative case, which is common in simile constructions introduced by как. When making a direct comparison in Russian, the noun following как is often kept in the nominative to serve as a clear and standard point of reference for the quality being described.