Если кофемолка шумит слишком громко, я закрываю дверь на кухню.

If the coffee grinder makes too much noise, I close the kitchen door.

Breakdown of Если кофемолка шумит слишком громко, я закрываю дверь на кухню.

• я: I
• на: to
• дверь: the door
• если: if

Questions & Answers about Если кофемолка шумит слишком громко, я закрываю дверь на кухню.

Why is there no word for the in this sentence?

Russian does not have articles like the or a/an. Whether something is definite or indefinite is usually understood from context.

So:

• кофемолка can mean the coffee grinder or a coffee grinder
• дверь can mean the door or a door

In this sentence, context makes it natural to understand them as the coffee grinder and the door to the kitchen.

What does если mean, and why are both verbs in the present tense?

Если means if.

Russian often uses the present tense in both parts of a sentence when talking about a general or repeated situation:

• Если кофемолка шумит слишком громко, я закрываю дверь на кухню.

This feels like:

• If the coffee grinder gets too loud, I close the kitchen door
• or Whenever the coffee grinder is too loud, I close the kitchen door

So this is not necessarily one single future event. It sounds more like a usual reaction.

Why is the verb шумит used here? Does it mean is noisy or is making noise?