Learn Russian: Вы здесь?

In Russian, вы is used in two ways: when talking to multiple people (plural "you"), or when speaking formally to just one person (like a teacher, a stranger, or a boss). If you are talking informally to one friend or family member, you would use ты.

Where is the word for "are" in Вы здесь?

Russian almost always leaves out the verb "to be" (am, is, are) in the present tense. So, instead of saying "Are you here?", you simply say "You here?" (Вы здесь?).

The word order looks exactly like a statement. How do I make it a question when speaking?

To turn a statement into a yes/no question in Russian, you don't need to change the word order or add helper words like "do" or "are". You just raise the pitch of your voice on the key word of the question. Here, you would emphasize and raise your pitch on здесь.

What does the soft sign (ь) do at the end of здесь?

The soft sign (ь) doesn't make a sound on its own. Instead, it tells you to pronounce the consonant right before it (the с) softly. This means you raise the middle of your tongue toward the roof of your mouth, giving the letter a slight "y" flavor compared to a regular English "s".