Russian Pronouns and Present Identity Sentences

A1.2 · Building identity

Russian Pronouns and Present Identity Sentences

By the end, you can identify yourself and other people with the natural Russian pattern—not a word-for-word copy of English.

Grammar map

Person or topic Subject or topic Identity form Example Pronunciation / note Natural English
I я no separate word Я студент / студентка. ya student / studentka I am a student.
you — singular ты no separate word Ты учитель / учительница. ty uchitel / uchitelnitsa You are a teacher.
he / she он / она no separate word Он врач. / Она врач. on vrach / ona vrach He/She is a doctor.
we мы no separate word Мы друзья. my druzya We are friends.
you — formal or plural вы no separate word Вы студент / студентка. / Вы студенты. vy student / studentka / vy studenty You are a student (polite) / You are students.
they они no separate word Они учителя. oni uchitelya They are teachers.

Notice the pattern

A neutral present identity sentence normally has no spoken or written form of быть or есть. The pronoun tells the listener who the identity belongs to.

Use вы for plural you and for polite singular you. In simple present identity sentences, learn the subject and identity as one direct pattern.

Build identity sentences

Read each model aloud, then replace the identity word with one that is true for you or someone you know.

I

Я студент / студентка.

I am a student.

you — singular

Ты учитель / учительница.

You are a teacher.

he / she

Он врач. / Она врач.

He/She is a doctor.

we

Мы друзья.

We are friends.

you — formal or plural

Вы студент / студентка. / Вы студенты.

You are a student (polite) / You are students.

they

Они учителя.

They are teachers.

Practice

  1. Copy the first-row identity sentence exactly.
  2. Copy the second-row model, then replace its identity word with one that is true.
  3. Change the first-row idea to the we model in row four.
  4. Translate the third-row example into natural English.
  5. Does Russian use a separate word that changes like English am / is / are? Answer from the pattern note.
  6. Write two true identity sentences: one about you and one about another person or group.
Check your answers
  1. 1 → Я студент / студентка.
  2. 2 → A model is Ты учитель / учительница.
  3. 3 → Мы друзья.
  4. 4 → He/She is a doctor.
  5. 5 → Russian normally uses no separate am/is/are word in simple present identity sentences.
  6. 6: Answers vary. Check the subject or topic, identity pattern, and any gender or number choices.

Create a three-person identity set

Write and say three accurate lines: one about yourself, one about another person, and one about a group. Check the person or topic form, gender and number choices, and the identity pattern.

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