Кстати, ты принёс тетрадь для заметок?

By the way, did you bring a notebook for notes?

Breakdown of Кстати, ты принёс тетрадь для заметок?

• для: for
• ты: you
• принести: to bring
• кстати: by the way
• тетрадь: the notebook
• заметка: the note

Questions & Answers about Кстати, ты принёс тетрадь для заметок?

What does Кстати mean and when should I use it?

Кстати corresponds to by the way in English. It’s an introductory word you use when you remember something relevant or want to add an afterthought. For example:

• You’re talking about your plans and suddenly remember you need something. You’d say Кстати, ты видел мой телефон?

Why is ты used here instead of вы?

ты is the informal singular “you.” Use ты with friends, family, or people your age if you’re on informal terms. вы is the formal or plural “you.” If you switched to вы, you’d also change принёс to принесли:

• Кстати, вы принесли тетрадь для заметок?

Why is принёс in the past tense, and what aspect is it?

принёс is the masculine singular past tense of the perfective verb принести (“to bring”). Perfective aspect indicates a completed action—here, Did you bring…? (implying you wanted the notebook brought and now check if it’s done). If you used the imperfective приносить, you’d be asking about the process or habitual action, not the result.

What if I’m speaking to a female? Would I still say принёс?

No. Past tense verbs in Russian agree with the subject’s gender. For a female you’d say принесла:

• Кстати, ты принесла тетрадь для заметок?

What case is тетрадь, and why does its form not change in the accusative?

тетрадь is a feminine noun ending in a soft sign (ь). In singular, feminine nouns have identical nominative and accusative forms. Here it’s a direct object, so it’s in the accusative, but you still see тетрадь.

What does для заметок mean, and why is заметок in the genitive case?

для means for and always requires the genitive case. заметки (notes) in genitive plural becomes заметок. So для заметок = for notes.

What’s the difference between тетрадь для заметок and блокнот?

• тетрадь для заметок is usually a bound notebook (often A4 or A5) with lined or blank pages, used in school or for detailed notes.
• блокнот is more like a notepad or memo pad—often smaller, spiral-bound at the top or side, used for quick reminders or grocery lists.

Is the comma after Кстати necessary?

Yes. Кстати is a parenthetical (introductory) word, so standard punctuation puts a comma after it when it starts a sentence.