Breakdown of У этого рубина отличная огранка.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
у
at, by
отличный
excellent
рубин
ruby
Questions & Answers about У этого рубина отличная огранка.
Why is the word есть omitted in this possession structure?
We drop есть in the у + Genitive construction when the focus of the sentence is on describing a characteristic or quality, rather than simply stating that the object exists. We aren't just pointing out that the ruby possesses a cut; we are emphasizing the specific attribute that its cut is excellent.
Can we use the verb иметь (to have) instead of the у + Genitive structure for inanimate objects?
Yes, you could say Этот рубин имеет отличную огранку, which is grammatically correct and uses the accusative case. However, using у + Genitive is extremely common and often sounds more natural in conversational Russian, even when describing the physical properties of inanimate objects like a gemstone.
The word for "cut" here is огранка. Is this related to other common Russian words?
Yes, it is built around the root грань, which translates to "facet," "edge," or "border." You will also see this root in common B1/B2 vocabulary like граница (border) and ограничение (restriction). Огранка specifically refers to the jewelers' process of faceting and polishing a gemstone.
Why does the sentence use этого рубина instead of the nominative этот рубин?