Questions & Answers about Эта квартира новая.
Why use эта here instead of the standard это?
In this sentence, 'this' points to a specific noun: квартира (apartment). Because квартира is a feminine noun, the demonstrative pronoun must match its gender, becoming эта. The word это is only used as a default when saying 'This is...' (like in Это новая квартира - This is a new apartment).
What is the difference between Эта квартира новая and Это новая квартира?
Эта квартира новая means 'This apartment is new', where эта directly attaches to the noun. Это новая квартира means 'This is a new apartment', where это acts as a standalone subject meaning 'This is' or 'It is'.
Why does the word for 'new' end in -ая (новая)?
Adjectives in Russian must match the gender of the noun they describe. The dictionary form for 'new' is the masculine новый, but since it describes the feminine noun квартира, it takes the feminine ending -ая.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
Russian skips the verb 'to be' in the present tense. To say 'This apartment is new', you literally just say 'This apartment new' (Эта квартира новая).
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