Learn Russian: Хлопок — это очень популярная ткань.

Хлопок — это очень популярная ткань.

Cotton is a very popular fabric.

Breakdown of Хлопок — это очень популярная ткань.

Questions & Answers about Хлопок — это очень популярная ткань.

Why do we use a dash and это instead of a verb like "is"?

In Russian, when equating one noun with another in the present tense (Cotton = fabric), the verb "to be" is omitted. Instead, we use a dash and это to link them. It literally translates to "Cotton, this is a popular fabric."

How can I tell the gender of ткань since it ends in a soft sign?

Nouns ending in a soft sign (-ь) can be either masculine or feminine. You have to memorize them, but here the feminine adjective популярная gives it away! Because ткань is feminine, it takes feminine modifiers.

Is it true that хлопок can mean something else?

Yes, depending on where you put the stress. With the stress on the first syllable (хлОпок), it means "cotton". If you stress the last syllable (хлопОк), it means a "clap", "pop", or "bang".

What is tricky about the spelling of хлопок when changing its case?

It has a "fleeting vowel." The second -о- drops out when you add case endings. For example, "made of cotton" (genitive case) is из хлопка, not из хлопока.