Demonstrative pronouns (этот, эта, это)

"This is" vs. "This [noun]"

You already know how to use это to say "This is" (for example, "This is a text"). But what if you want to point to a specific object and say "This text is interesting"?

When "this" attaches directly to a noun, it acts like an adjective. Just like possessive pronouns, it must change its ending to match the gender of the noun it modifies.

Masculine Nouns (этот)

For masculine nouns, use этот. Notice the difference between identifying an object ("This is a text") and describing a specific object ("This text is...").

Feminine Nouns (эта)

For feminine nouns, use эта.

Neuter Nouns (это)

For neuter nouns, the matching pronoun is это. Yes, it looks and sounds exactly like the general word for "This is"! You can tell how it is being used by looking at the rest of the sentence.