Questions & Answers about Эти носки белые.
Why is it эти and not это here?
Because "these" is directly describing the plural noun носки, it must match it by taking the plural form эти. If you were introducing the socks by saying "These are white socks", you would use the fixed pointing word это (Это белые носки). But here, "these socks" is a single subject block.
Where is the verb "are" in this sentence?
In Russian, the present tense forms of the verb "to be" (am, is, are) are almost always skipped. The sentence literally translates as "These socks white."
Why does белые end in -ые?
Белые is the plural form of the adjective белый (white). Adjectives always have to match the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Since носки (socks) is plural, the adjective takes the standard plural ending -ые.
What is the singular form of носки (socks)?
The singular form is носок (one sock). Notice that when it becomes plural, the last -о- drops out before adding the plural ending -и. This is called a fleeting vowel, which is a very common pattern in Russian nouns.
Learn Эти носки белые 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