это

• эт (et) — clipping, youth slang, Internet

• IPA^(key): [ˈɛtə]

• Audio

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• Audio

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• Homophone: эта (eta)

э́то • (éto) n sg (demonstrative)

1. neuter nominative/accusative singular of э́тот (étot)

   э́то предложе́ние ― éto predložénije ― this sentence

э́то • (éto) n sg (demonstrative)

1. neuter nominative/accusative singular of э́тот (étot)

   Я хоте́л отве́тить на твоё сообще́ние, но не на э́то. ― Ja xotél otvétitʹ na tvojó soobščénije, no ne na éto. ― I meant to reply to your message, but not this one.

э́то • (éto) n inan sg (demonstrative)

1. Generic demonstrative pronoun. Translated as "this" or "that" (or their plural forms, "these" or "those"), depending on the context.

   Э́то сто́ит пятьсо́т рубле́й, а вот э́то сто́ит семьсо́т.

   Éto stóit pjatʹsót rubléj, a vot éto stóit semʹsót.

   This costs five hundred roubles, and this costs seven hundred.

   (Translated as "this" when indicating something physically proximal to the speaker.)

   Э́то Вене́ра, а вот э́то самолёт.

   Éto Venéra, a vot éto samoljót.

   That's Venus, and that's a plane.

   (Translated as "that" when indicating something physically distal to the speaker.)

   Э́то мои́ рису́нки.

   Éto moí risúnki.

   These are my drawings.

   (Usually translated as "these" or "those" when introducing something as a plural.)

   — Сего́дня я вы́учил де́сять но́вых ру́сских слов. — Э́то отли́чно!

   — Sevódnja ja výučil désjatʹ nóvyx rússkix slov. — Éto otlíčno!

   — I learnt ten new Russian words today. — That's great!

   (Usually translated as "that" in a response or reaction context, such as to refer to something just mentioned by someone else.)

   Не́которые лю́ди говоря́т на не́скольких языка́х. Э́то позволя́ет им ду́мать и ви́деть мир по-дру́гому.

   Nékotoryje ljúdi govorját na néskolʹkix jazykáx. Éto pozvoljájet im dúmatʹ i vídetʹ mir po-drúgomu.

   Some people can speak several languages. This allows to them to think and see the world differently.

   (Translated as "this" when referring to the content of a phrase just mentioned by the speaker, depicted as having mental proximity to the speaker.)

   Не́которые лю́ди говоря́т на не́скольких языка́х, но э́то не зна́чит, что они́ лу́чше други́х.

   Nékotoryje ljúdi govorját na néskolʹkix jazykáx, no éto ne znáčit, što oní lúčše drugíx.

   Some people can speak several languages, but that doesn't mean they're better than anyone else.

   (Translated as "that" when referring to the content of a phrase just mentioned by the speaker while attempting to create mental distance between it and the speaker.)

2. Used as a personal pronoun when not referring to a particular noun. Translated as "it".

   Не́которые лю́ди говоря́т на не́скольких языка́х. Э́то позволя́ет им ду́мать и ви́деть мир по-дру́гому. Э́то та́кже мо́жет расши́рить возмо́жности трудоустро́йства.

   Nékotoryje ljúdi govorját na néskolʹkix jazykáx. Éto pozvoljájet im dúmatʹ i vídetʹ mir po-drúgomu. Éto tákže móžet rasšíritʹ vozmóžnosti trudoustrójstva.

   Some people can speak several languages. This allows to them to think and see the world differently. It can also expand employment opportunities.

   Не хо́чется спать, но э́то, наве́рное, помо́жет мне чу́вствовать себя́ лу́чше.

   Ne xóčetsja spatʹ, no éto, navérnoje, pomóžet mne čúvstvovatʹ sebjá lúčše.

   I don't feel like sleeping, but it'll probably help me feel better.

3. (nominative only) Used as a personal pronoun to indicate that something at the centre of a matter at hand is a certain thing. Can be translated as "it" or "he", "she", "they", as appropriate.

   В смы́сле, э́то мои́ роди́тели, поэ́тому я хочу́ им помо́чь.

   V smýsle, éto moí rodíteli, poétomu ja xočú im pomóčʹ.

   I mean, they're my parents, so I want to help them.

4. Optionally used after a noun to introduce its definition or explanation. In the most formal texts, separated from the noun by an em dash, or (дли́нное) тире́ ((dlínnoje) tirɛ́). In more informal texts, may be separated by a hyphen (дефи́с (defís)), due to typological constraints, or only a space. Often omitted, though usually not when the dash/hyphen is also omitted, to avoid introducing ambiguity.

   Со́евое молоко́ — (э́то) напи́ток, полу́ченный из зёрен со́и.

   Sójevoje molokó — (éto) napítok, polúčennyj iz zjóren sói.

   Soy milk is a drink derived from soybeans.

• Regarding sense 1:
  • Although in theory proximal, use of э́то (éto) overlaps with that of the English distal demonstrative pronoun, that (and its plural counterpart, those). The theoretically distal Russian demonstrative pronoun, то (to), is restricted to a few mostly grammatically supportive roles.
• Regarding sense 2:
  • When a speaker is referring to a particular noun, the gender- or number-appropriate third-person personal pronoun is typically used: он (on, masc.), она́ (oná, fem.), оно́ (onó, neut.), они́ (oní, plu.), and their case forms. For example, Я попыта́лся включи́ть свой телефо́н, но он не рабо́тает (Ja popytálsja vključítʹ svoj telefón, no on ne rabótajet, “I tried to turn on my phone, but it's not working”).
  • Э́то (Éto) is generally not used as a dummy pronoun, unlike English it, e.g., Сло́жно объясни́ть, почему́ она́ мне нра́вится (Slóžno obʺjasnítʹ, počemú oná mne nrávitsja, “It's hard to explain why I like her”).

э́то • (éto)

1. Used to emphasise identity, analogously to English "it's me who" etc.

   Synonym: и́менно (ímenno)

   Э́то я должна́ проси́ть у вас проще́ния. ― Éto ja dolžná prosítʹ u vas proščénija. ― It's me who should ask you for forgiveness.

   Э́то мой оте́ц основа́л компа́нию. ― Éto moj otéc osnovál kompániju. ― It's my father who founded the company.

2. Used to intensify a question concerning an observation.

   Synonym: же (že)

   Да куда́ э́то вы так спеши́те? ― Da kudá éto vy tak spešíte? ― Where are you in such a hurry to?

э́то • (éto)

1. uh, er, erm, umm (used in hesitant speech)

   Synonym: э́то са́мое (éto sámoje)

   Я, э́то, не купи́л ничего́. ― Ja, éto, ne kupíl ničevó. ― I, er, I haven't bought anything.

• то (to)