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Questions & Answers about Почему ребёнок плачет?
Why does the verb плачет have a 'ч' when the dictionary form is плакать?
The verb плакать (to cry) goes through a consonant mutation when it is conjugated. The к in the stem changes to ч for all present tense forms (for example, я плачу, ты плачешь, он плачет).
How do we know this translates to 'is crying' and not just 'cries'?
Russian does not have a separate continuous tense like the English 'is doing' form. The present tense verb плачет can mean either 'cries' or 'is crying' depending entirely on the context. Here, it is an observation of what is happening right now, so 'is crying' is the natural translation.
Is the word ребёнок used for a child of either gender?
Yes! Even though ребёнок (child) is a grammatically masculine noun and takes masculine adjectives, it is a general term used for a child of any gender.
Why do I sometimes see this word written as ребенок without the two dots?
In everyday Russian, native speakers often skip writing the dots over the letter ё and just type е, even though it is still pronounced 'yo'. Textbooks and learning sites usually keep the dots to help you remember the correct pronunciation.