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No 'to be' in the Present

Russian omits am/is/are

Russian drops 'to be' in the present

No word for am/is/are.

💬 Examples
Я студент.
Ya student.
I am a student.
📝 No verb — just 'I student'
Он дома.
On doma.
He is at home.
📝 No 'is'
A dash can replace 'is' between two nouns

In writing.

💬 Examples
Москва — столица.
Moskva — stolitsa.
Moscow is the capital.
📝 Dash = 'is' (noun = noun)
Мой брат — врач.
Moy brat — vrach.
My brother is a doctor.
📝 Dash links two nouns
есть = 'there is / exists'

Used for existence and possession.

💬 Examples
У меня есть машина.
U menya yest' mashina.
I have a car.
📝 у + genitive + есть = 'have'
Здесь есть кафе?
Zdes' yest' kafe?
Is there a café here?
📝 есть = there is