Questions & Answers about Это квартира восемь?
Why is there no word for "is" in this sentence?
In Russian, the present tense of the verb to be is almost always skipped. The words Это квартира literally translate to "This apartment", but they are understood to mean "This is an apartment".
How do we know this is a question when the word order is exactly the same as a regular statement?
In Russian, you can turn almost any statement into a yes-or-no question simply by changing your tone of voice. You raise your pitch on the most important word, which in this case is the number восемь.
The word квартира is feminine. Do we need to change the ending of восемь to match it?
No. For the numbers 3 through 10, the spelling does not change based on the gender of the noun. Only the numbers 1 and 2 have different masculine, feminine, and neuter forms.
Why do we use the number eight (восемь) instead of "eighth"?
Just like in English, when we name a specific room, apartment, or bus, we use the regular counting number (cardinal number) placed after the noun instead of an ordering number.
What is the purpose of the letter at the very end of восемь?
That letter is called the soft sign. It does not make a sound on its own, but it tells you to pronounce the consonant right before it (the м) softly. You do this by raising the middle of your tongue toward the roof of your mouth, almost like you are about to say a "y" sound.
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