"Дима ест яйца?"
Translation:Does Dima eat eggs?
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I'm starting to feel these are specificly targeted towards people with allergens
(First read through still translates as 'Dima is an egg'. One of these days, есть!)
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You need to separate "есть", as in "to be" and "ест" meaning "they eat". However you are right saying that "У Дима (...)" is the right way to say it.
"Есть" is the infinitive "to eat". "Ест" is the third person singular form - he/she/it eats.
Doesn't есть mean have? Or "Exist by" as is universally used to show ownership in conversations? Such as "у нас есть яблоки"?
You're right, this is one of the most confusing words around. Есть is the infinitive "to eat", it's also the present tense form of быть "to be", as in your sentence.
Same in German. They have a saying: "Man ist was man isst." Which means, "you are what you eat."
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I think this is not even limited to only German. In English, the idiom "You are what you eat" (or as Frank Zappa applied it in one of his songs: You are what you is) would be understood too.
I thought that ect was perfective: is eating right now, and em was does eat. Didn't I learn that 2 weeks ago?
Thanks Homie, impressive Duolingo record you have there. Oh my god is that a 186 day streak!!!!??
Well, thanks :-) Yes, that is a 186 day streak - but then I draw your attention to the 264 day streak immediately below, and the 624 day streak below that...
Edit after stumbling on this a while later: The streak died at the ripe old age of 207 days when I was without internet for a week.
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Same here. At 607 day streak the area lost internet for a week. Then, my bad left phone in locker for a day. Too bad.
How good is your Russian now with that long of a streak? Do you use ither apps?
So many of these questions have the intonation of a declaration. Is that accidental, or do Russians intone questions differently than anglophones?
Why is "Is dima eating an egg?" wrong? Isn't ест in this case equivalent to both is eating and eats?
«Ест» is, indeed, both ‘is eating’ and ‘eats.’
However, «я́йца» is ‘eggs’, and «яйцо́» is ‘[an] egg’.
English allows using ‘egg’ (uncountable, without an article) to refer to any amount of eggs. Russian doesn’t do this, so «Дима ест яйца» can be translated ‘Dima eats egg’, that is, indefinite amount of egg(s). But ‘Dima eats an egg’ can’t be translated with «я́йца», only with «яйцо́».
Would anyone else find it acceptable to say "Does Dima eat egg?" In Australia anyway it seems to be perfectly common to refer to non-specific foodstuffs in the singular, much like how you would say "Do you eat cake?"
I'd say no. I can't speak for the Aussies, but to my ear, while it's often appropriate to treat foods as mass nouns in that way, it doesn't work with eggs for some reason.
I think it does, for instance, if you're checking specifically for allergies or preference. If you're talking to Dima and asking him if he eats egg, I suppose this would imply you think he's a baby, so possibly not the best place for this construction, but if you're asking his friend or mom and he's not near, then I think this'd work.
Fair enough. I have seen it used in this manner and would not find it strange or unusual to spot in a sentence. I'd give it a pass, definitely.
Well, «У Ди́мы есть яйца?» is a normal way to ask if Dima has some eggs. Maybe you want to cook a pie but you don't have eggs, so you need to know if Dima can lend you some.
Alternatively, since «яйца» is a slang term for testicles, «У Ди́мы есть я́йца?» 'Does Dima have balls?' can be a very slangy (and impolite) way to ask whether Dima is male. But since Dima is a male name anyway, the question is likely to be metaphorical: 'Is Dima a man?' = 'Does Dima behave like a man?'.
Why is it is not "Дима едят яйца?"? Since Dima eats multiple eggs, shouldn't the verb be in plural form?
Do we use the infinitive verb form to specify something over using the verb form that is correct in number to its noun?
Russian belongs to the nominative-accusative languages. It means that verbs always agree with the person or thing doing the action (linguistically speaking, with the agent) and not with the thing that is affected by the action (not the patient).
I.e. it doesn't matter how many eggs Dima eats. What matters is how many people eat eggs.
Is it joy? -
"Correct solution:
• Dima eats the eggs?"
On which language is this question?
Is the difference between яйцо and яйца really audible? Shouldn't both be deemed correct?
Yes, it's audible because it's distinguished by stress: яйцо́ 'egg', but я́йца 'eggs'.
Listen to the beginning of the word. In яйцо я is not stressed so it sounds like [ji] (together with й), in яйца it is stressed, so you hear [ja]. In the end of яйцо you hear a stressed [o] and in the end of яйца an unstressed a, but those are harder to hear.
The problem I have with some of these, this one included, is that I cannot tell either from the text-to-speech intonation or from the syntax whether it is a statement or a question.
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How do I know if it's a statement or a question? The speaker's voice doesn't go up at the end but then the translation shows me they're asking a question. Is it impossible to tell or are they just showing me that it's possible to have it both ways
So, when we ask a question in English, we have a particular "tune" if you will alongside the change of words to help demonstrate that it is a question we're asking - For example, it would be "Does Dima eat EGGS?" emphasis on last part or if some was to say that Dima ate eggs and I was to hint that the statement may in fact be untrue, or also to show surprise, the emphasis shifts: "DOES Dima eat eggs (though)?" - So, if the word "Does" isn't technically in this sentence how would the vocal "tune" be to ask such a question, where does the emphasis lie to make it sound normal. I ask because the DuoBot says it like it is a statement, and it's only after I got it right that I saw the question mark at the end of the revealed answer. Any help would be appreciated
So... what's the difference between saying Does Dima eat eggs and Is Dima eating eggs?
The difference is that Dima may NOT eat eggs. And someone is inquiring. Maybe she's a vegan or just doesn't like them. But if someone is asking about what she's eating in the moment, they'll be asking about what she's eating now. Makes sense??
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No difference in Russian translation. You only can tell by context so both should be accepted. In English translation though see JBL above for the difference.
Is this natural or is it better to use singular in this type of question in Russian?
It depends on what you're asking. If you want to know if Dima eats eggs in general (i.e. maybe he's observing the Nativity fast?), or if you want to know if he's eating more than one egg now, than you'd use plural. If you want to know if he eats one egg now, than you'd use singular.
Instead of what? There are several possible problems someone might have with this sentence. The question mark tell's it's a question and in speech there's also intonation. The singular of яйца is яйцо. The stress is on different syllables, so the pronounsiation is quite different: in the singular you hear a clear [o] in the end. ест is eat and not a form of "to be" which is есть. Context usually helps with this too, "Dima is eggs" doesn't really sound that good. Hope that helps :)
Something along the lines of "Ya-eets-uh", with the first two syllables blurred together. That's not the best description, but it's the best I can come up with. Try listening to it here and see if that helps.
In Wiktionary it says that the nominative plural of Яйцо is Яйцы. As far as I know an о ending should result in an а plural-ending like here, but the internet says else... can someone clarify it for me?
In "Type what you hear" I do not hear a question, but a statement.
Why is, "Is Dima eating an egg?" Wrong? Ect is stating "he eats/is eating" and this is a question. I think this should work as well.
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Would a native speaker confirm how to say: Is Dima eating eggs? I have a feeling that may resolve most questions here.
Are the words "eat" and "have" originating from the same word? And do you actually hear the difference in pronounciation? I don't :(
What part of this turns it into a question? Why is it "Does Dima eat eggs?" instead of "Dima eats eggs"
I literally said yasta la yauzza and got it right. Thanks doulingo! I know Russian now.
Wouldn't this mean "Does Dima have eggs"? I don't understand when есть means to eat and when it means to have.
How should I know if this is saying, "Does Dima eat eggs?" or "Does Dima have eggs?" How can you tell which one?
I seem to continually being told that I'm pronouncing ест wrong. I'm saying it like e-yest. This is not correct?
How would you tell the difference between "Does Dima eat eggs?" and "Dima eats eggs" in a conversation? Aren't they both "Дима ест яйца" ?
the difference is determined by sound ... it's just a duo-bot doesn't sound right
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Because 'едят' is conjugated to the 3rd Plural pronoun 'они' or 'they'. Дима is 3rd person singular and requires the conjugation 'ест'.
I still don't understand why they say Dima is the short from of Dimetry but as I know Dima is a girl's name???
Well, it sure sounds as though he's saying, "Dima is eating 'pizza'," to me!!
How can we difference between ест and есть. They are same in pronunciation.
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No, "Т" and "ТЬ" are different sounds. You need practice to hear the difference between them