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1.
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The Demonstrative Pronouns этот and тот
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A demonstrative pronoun (also called 'demonstrative adjective') is used
to point out a noun. Russian demonstrative pronouns этот and тот correspond
to English this and that.
Этот describes a noun which is closer to the speaker. Click the
following statement to listen, then read it aloud:
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Этот дом новый.
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This house is new.
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Тот is used as the second element of an opposition. Compare:
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Этот дом новый, а тот дом старый.
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This house is new and that house is old.
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Тот is also used to describe an object (noun) which is markedly removed
in space or time from the speaker. Study the following statements:
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1. Тот город маленький.
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1. That city is small.
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2. Этот город маленький.
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2. This city is small.
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In the first statement тот referring to a city further away from the
speaker (it may be the city where the speaker was before).
In the second statement этот
referring to the city where the speaker is now.
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2.
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The Nominative Case of Demonstrative Pronouns
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The demonstrative pronouns этот and тот function as noun
modifiers in the sentence. As all modifiers they must agree with the noun they
describe in gender, number and case, i.e. change form according to the
noun's gender, number and case.
Study the Nominative case forms of the demonstrative pronouns этот
and тот
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Masculine
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этот
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тот
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дом
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this/that house
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Feminine
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эта
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та
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рубашка
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this/that shirt
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Neuter
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это
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то
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платье
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this/that dress
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Plural
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эти
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те
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студенты
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these/those students
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3.
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The Indeclinable это and the Demonstrative pronouns этот (эта, это, эти)
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We have learned that the English 'This is' and 'These are' are usually
translated into Russian as Это... .
Examples:
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Это новый дом.
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This is a new house.
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Это новая рубашка.
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This is a new shirt.
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Это новое платье.
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This is a new dress.
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Это японские студенты.
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These are Japanese students.
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This indeclinable это should not be confused with the demonstrative
pronoun это (the Nominative neuter form of этот).
The demonstrative pronoun этот (эта, это, эти)
is used as a noun modifier. Compare the following statements. Pay attention to
the intonation:
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1. Это новый дом.
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1. This is a new house.
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indeclinable это
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2. Этот дом новый.
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2. This house is new.
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dem. pronoun. (masculine)
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1. Это новая рубашка.
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1. This is a new shirt.
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indeclinable это
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2. Эта рубашка новая.
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2. This shirt is new.
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dem. pronoun. (feminine)
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1. Это новое платье.
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1. This is a new dress.
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indeclinable это
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2. Это платье новое.
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2. This dress is new.
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dem. pronoun. (neuter)
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Notes
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Use the indeclinable это to translate English phrases starting
with 'This is', 'These are'.
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Use the demonstrative pronoun этот (эта, это, эти) to translate such
word combinations as 'this house ' - этот дом, 'this shirt' -
эта рубашка, 'this dress' - это платье, 'these students' - эти студенты.
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Exercises Упражнения
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Translate English sentences into Russian
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