Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Комната — четыре метра.
Why does the word for meters end in 'а' (метра) instead of being plural?
This is the main rule for counting in Russian! After the numbers 2, 3, and 4 (like четыре), you do not use the normal plural form. Instead, you use the genitive singular form of the noun. The dictionary form is метр (a masculine noun), and its genitive singular form adds an 'а' to become метра.
Why is there a long dash (—) after Комната?
In Russian, there is no present tense word for 'is' or 'are'. When a written sentence links a subject (like Комната) directly to a description or a number without a verb, a dash is often used to stand in for that invisible 'is'.
Do I need to change the word четыре to match the gender of the noun?
No! You only need to change the number to match gender when using 1 (один/одна/одно) or 2 (два/две). The numbers 3 (три) and 4 (четыре) stay exactly the same regardless of whether you are counting masculine, feminine, or neuter things.
Is saying 'four meters' the normal way to talk about room size in Russian?
Yes, this is very common in casual speech. While you could specify 'square meters', Russian speakers often drop the word 'square' when talking about the area of a room because the context makes it obvious.