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Questions & Answers about Это чай.
How can I tell what gender чай is just by looking at it?
Look at the last letter! чай ends in й (short i), which acts like a consonant in Russian grammar. Nouns ending in a regular consonant or й are masculine.
Why do we use Это if чай is a masculine noun?
When you are introducing something or saying 'This is a [noun]', you always use the fixed word Это, no matter the gender of the noun. You only match the noun's gender if you are saying 'this tea' as a single phrase, like 'This tea is hot.'
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
Russian leaves out the verb 'to be' (am, is, are) in the present tense. So instead of saying 'This is tea', you simply say 'This tea'.