Questions & Answers about Сегодня в комнате довольно тихо.
Why is there no word for is in this sentence?
In Russian, the verb быть (to be) is normally omitted in the present tense.
So:
- Сегодня в комнате довольно тихо. literally looks like
- Today in the room fairly quiet.
But it naturally means:
- Today it is fairly quiet in the room.
In the past or future, Russian does use forms of быть:
- В комнате было тихо. — It was quiet in the room.
- В комнате будет тихо. — It will be quiet in the room.
Why is it в комнате and not в комната?
Because after в when it means in and shows location, Russian uses the prepositional case.
- комната = room (dictionary form, nominative)
- в комнате = in the room (prepositional singular)
So:
- в комнате = in the room
A useful comparison:
- в комнате — in the room (location)
- в комнату — into the room (motion toward, accusative)
Why is it тихо and not or ?