Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Мера хороша.
What is the grammatical role of Мера in the sentence Мера хороша.?
Мера is the subject of the sentence. It is a feminine noun in the nominative case that the predicate adjective хороша describes.
Why is the adjective written as хороша instead of its full form хорошая?
In Russian, when an adjective functions as a predicate (after the noun), it is often used in its short form. Хороша is the short form that agrees with the feminine singular noun Мера. In contrast, хорошая is used in an attributive position (before the noun).
Why is there no verb equivalent to “is” in the sentence?
Russian typically omits the present tense form of the verb быть (to be). This omission is standard practice, so Мера хороша. is a complete sentence, fully conveying the meaning “The measure is good.”
How does agreement between the noun and adjective work in this sentence?
Adjectives in Russian must agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. Since Мера is a singular, feminine noun in the nominative case, the predicate adjective must also appear in a form that reflects feminine singular agreement—in this case, the short form хороша.
How would the predicate adjective change if the subject were masculine or neuter?
If the subject were masculine, the short form would be хорош (e.g., Мужчина хорош means “The man is good.”). If the subject were neuter, the appropriate form would be хорошо (e.g., Дело хорошо translates to “The thing/matter is good.”). This change in form ensures the adjective agrees correctly with the subject’s gender.