Breakdown of Он не курит.
не
not
он
he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)
курить
to smoke
Questions & Answers about Он не курит.
Why is there no word for "does" in this sentence?
Russian does not use helper verbs like "do" or "does" to make negative sentences. To say "does not smoke", you simply put the negative word не directly in front of the verb курит.
What is the dictionary form of курит and why does it end in -ит here?
The dictionary form is курить (to smoke). It belongs to the second group of verbs (those ending in -ить). Because the subject is он (he), we drop the -ить and add the regular "he/she/it" ending -ит.
Since the current lesson is about reflexive verbs, can I add -ся to this verb?
No, курить is a regular, non-reflexive verb. The -ся and -сь endings are used when an action loops back onto the subject (like dressing yourself) or for specific verbs that just always require it. Smoking is an action directed outward, so it does not take a reflexive ending.
Learn Он не курит and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free