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Questions & Answers about Это необходимый документ.
What is the function of Это in Это необходимый документ?
Это here is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “this is” (or “it is”). It introduces or identifies the thing you’re talking about—in this case, the document.
Why is документ in the nominative case, not accusative or another case?
In the construction Это + noun, the noun stays in the nominative case. This pattern literally means “This is [noun in nominative]”.
What gender, number, and case is the adjective необходимый, and why does it take that form?
документ is a masculine singular noun in the nominative case. Therefore, the adjective необходимый appears in the full form, masculine, singular, nominative to agree with документ.
How do you pronounce необходимый, and where is the stress?
It’s pronounced [nʲɪɐbxɐˈdʲimɨj], with the stress on the syllable -дим- (the third syllable).
Why isn’t there a verb “to be” (быть) in Russian in this sentence?
In present-tense Russian, the copula “to be” is usually omitted. So Это необходимый документ literally reads “This is necessary document”, without an explicit есть.
Could I say Документ необходим instead? What’s the difference?
Yes. In Документ необходим, необходим is the short form of the adjective used predicatively (“The document is necessary”). In Это необходимый документ, необходимый is the full form used attributively before the noun (“the necessary document”).
What would необходимый look like if I needed feminine, neuter, or plural?
Feminine singular: необходимая
Neuter singular: необходимое
Plural (all genders): необходимые
Can I put the adjective after the noun, as in Документ необходимый?
Grammatically you can, but it sounds marked or poetic. Standard word order for attributes is adjective + noun. Placing it after (noun + adjective) often adds emphasis or a stylistic tone.
How is необходимый different from нужный or обязательный?
необходимый = necessary, often neutral/formal.
нужный = needed, more colloquial and general (“I need this”).
обязательный = mandatory, implies obligation or rules (“required by law or regulations”).