In Russian, the verb "to be" is said as "быть" (byt’), but it works a bit differently than in English.

In simple sentences, you usually don't need to use "быть" when talking about the present. This makes everyday chatting easier!

Basic Sentence Structure

In Russian, the common sentence pattern is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), just like in English. But, when you use the verb "to be," there are some special rules to follow.

Present Tense

In the present tense, you often skip the verb "быть." Here are some examples:

• Я студент. (Ya student.) – This means "I am a student."
• Она врач. (Ona vrach.) – This means "She is a doctor."

In these sentences, you can see that "am" or "is" isn’t used.

Past and Future Tenses

When you talk about the past or future, you do need to use "быть":

1. Past Tense

   • Я был студентом. (Ya byl studentom.) – This means "I was a student." (for a boy)
   • Я была студенткой. (Ya byla studentkoy.) – This means "I was a student." (for a girl)

2. Future Tense

   • Я буду студентом. (Ya budu studentom.) – This means "I will be a student." (for a boy)
   • Я буду студенткой. (Ya budu studentkoy.) – This means "I will be a student." (for a girl)

Sentence Practice

You can practice making sentences by changing the subject and object but leaving out the verb "to be" in the present tense:

1. They are teachers. – Они учителя. (Oni uchitelya.)
2. We are friends. – Мы друзья. (My druzya.)

By using these patterns, you can talk about basic relationships and identities in Russian, even without saying the verb "to be." Keep practicing these sentences to get better at speaking Russian!