Breakdown of Эта программа требует меньше памяти.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
программа
program
требовать
to demand
меньше
less (quantity or size)
Questions & Answers about Эта программа требует меньше памяти.
What is the base word for меньше here?
меньше is the irregular comparative form meaning "less". In this sentence, it acts as the comparative of the quantity word мало (little/few). You will also see it used as the comparative for the adjective маленький (small).
Why is the word for memory (память) changed to памяти?
Words that express a quantity, including comparative words like больше (more) and меньше (less), require the noun that follows them to be in the genitive case. Because память is a feminine noun ending in a soft sign, its genitive ending is -и.
The verb is требует, but the dictionary form is требовать. Where does the -у- come from?
The verb требовать (to require) belongs to a group of verbs that end in -овать. When conjugating them in the present tense, the -ова- part drops out and changes to -у- before you add the standard endings. That is why требовать becomes требует for "it requires".
Why do we use Эта instead of just Это at the beginning of the sentence?
While это is often used on its own as a general "this is" statement, here it acts as a pointing word attached directly to a noun ("this program"). Because программа is a feminine noun, the pointing word must match its gender, so we use the feminine form Эта.