Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about В этой комнате уютно и тепло.
What is the grammatical role of уютно and тепло in this sentence?
They are short-form neuter adjectives functioning as impersonal predicates. Russian uses these forms to describe states without an explicit subject—effectively it is cozy and warm.
Why is there no explicit subject like it in the Russian sentence?
Russian allows impersonal constructions with short-form adjectives. The neuter singular ending implies an unstated it, so уютно and тепло inherently mean “it is cozy” and “it is warm” without needing a separate subject.
Why are уютно and тепло in the neuter singular form?
In impersonal predicates, short-form adjectives default to the neuter singular to represent an abstract “it” or general state. This neuter form signals that there is no concrete subject performing an action.
Why is в этой комнате in the prepositional case?
The preposition в (“in”) when indicating a static location requires the prepositional case. Therefore эта комната changes to в этой комнате: эта → этой, комната → комнате.
Why is there no comma before и connecting уютно and тепло?
In Russian, you do not place a comma before и when it joins two homogeneous predicates (both describe the same core idea). A comma appears only in more complex lists or clauses.
Could I say Эта комната уютна и тепла instead? What’s the difference?
Yes, that’s grammatical. Here Эта комната is an explicit subject in the nominative case, and уютна, тепла remain short-form adjectives. This version emphasizes the room itself being cozy and warm, whereas В этой комнате уютно и тепло emphasizes the overall feeling “in this room.”
What’s the difference between short-form and full-form adjectives in Russian?
- Full-form adjectives (e.g., уютный, тёплый) agree with a noun in gender, number, and case and are used attributively before nouns.
- Short-form adjectives (e.g., уютно, тепло) are used predicatively—they form the core of impersonal or personal predicate constructions, providing a concise statement of a state or quality.