Tense and the copula
Present-tense short predicates normally use no overt form of быть; past and future introduce a copula while the adjective remains short.
- The short adjective continues to agree in gender/number with its subject, not with the past-tense copula's abstract dictionary form.
| Tense | Example | Agreement cue |
|---|---|---|
| present | Дом гото́в. | zero copula |
| past masculine | Дом был гото́в. | был + masc. short |
| past feminine | Кни́га была́ готова́. | была́ + fem. short |
| past plural | Докуме́нты бы́ли гото́вы. | бы́ли + plural short |
| future | Докуме́нты бу́дут гото́вы. | бу́дут + plural short |
Read the model
3.13 · Tense and the copula · table 1
present · Дом гото́в. · zero copulapast masculine · Дом был гото́в. · был + masc. shortMini-check
Put in past: Студе́нт гото́в. Put in future: Кни́ги интере́сны.
Apply this next
- Say the Russian examples aloud, cover the model, and retrieve the pattern once before continuing.