Learn Russian: Это малыш? Да, он очень маленький.

Это малыш? Да, он очень маленький.

Is this a baby? Yes, he is very small.

Breakdown of Это малыш? Да, он очень маленький.

это

this / it is

он

he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)

Questions & Answers about Это малыш? Да, он очень маленький.

Why do we use the neuter word Это when малыш is a masculine noun?

When you are introducing or pointing to something with the phrase "This is a..." or "Is this a...?", Russian uses the fixed word Это no matter what gender the noun has. You would only use the masculine Этот if "this" were an adjective attached directly to the noun, as in "this baby" (этот малыш).

Where is the word for "is" in these sentences?

In Russian, the present tense forms of the verb "to be" (am, is, are) are almost always skipped. You simply put the subject and the description side by side. Literally, this sentence reads: "This baby? Yes, he very small."

Why does the second sentence switch from Это to он?

The first sentence uses Это to point out and identify the subject ("Is this a baby?"). Once the subject has been identified as малыш, which is a masculine noun, the next sentence must use the masculine personal pronoun он (he) to refer back to him.

Are the words малыш and маленький related?

Yes! They both share the root мал-, which relates to being small. Маленький is the adjective for "small" or "little", while малыш is a noun that literally means "a little one" (used for a baby, toddler, or young child).