Questions & Answers about Мы сидим в кругу в парке.
Why is there no word for “are” in Мы сидим в кругу в парке?
Russian normally drops the present‑tense form of “to be” (быть) in simple statements.
- English: We are sitting in a circle in the park.
- Russian literally: Мы сидим в кругу в парке. (no separate word for are)
So сидим alone expresses “(we) are sitting”; you do not add anything like есть here. Using есть in this kind of sentence would be wrong or sound very strange.
Does сидим mean “sit” or “are sitting”? How do Russians hear it?
The verb сидим (from сидеть) is imperfective present tense, 1st person plural:
- It can mean “we sit” (a regular action)
- Каждый день после школы мы сидим в парке. – We sit in the park every day after school.
- Or “we are sitting” (right now)
- Смотри, мы сидим в кругу в парке. – Look, we are sitting in a circle in the park.
Russian does not have a separate continuous form like English am/are sitting. Context tells you whether it’s a habitual action or happening now.
Why is it в кругу and not в круге?