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Questions & Answers about Это стол.
Where is the word for "is" in this sentence?
In Russian, the verb "to be" (like "am", "is", or "are") is almost always left out in the present tense. So, это means "this" and стол means "table", but put together they naturally mean "This is a table".
Why is there no word for "a" before стол?
Russian doesn't use articles like "a", "an", or "the". The word стол simply means "table", and we add "a" or "the" in our English translation depending on what makes sense in context.
Стол is a masculine word. If I wanted to point out a feminine word, would это change?
No, it wouldn't change. When you use это to introduce or point something out (meaning "This is..."), it acts as a fixed pointing word. It stays exactly as это no matter the gender or quantity of the thing you are pointing at.
Why doesn't the "o" at the end of это sound like a clear "oh"?
In Russian, the letter о only sounds like a clear "oh" when the spoken emphasis (stress) is on that exact syllable. In это, the stress is on the first letter (э), so the unstressed о at the end gets reduced to a shorter "uh" or "ah" sound.