"Here is Germany."

Translation: Вот Германия.

[tara668]

Why is it германия and not германии? (they're using the genitive?)

[Neon_Iceberg]

"There is/are" or "here is/are" requires the nominative.

[Silly93]

This might be a stupid question, but what is a nominative?

[BenYoung84]

Nominative means the normal (Dictionary) version of a noun that isn't an object or varied for some other reason.

[Jen995184]

Thank you, Ben! That totally cleared it up for me! I had no understanding of what nominative and genetive, etc. is, but your definition just made it all click!

[BenYoung84]

Happy to help.

[Neon_Iceberg]

It is one of the Russian cases of nouns:

http://www.study-languages-online.com/russian-cases.html

[marochoufi]

The nominative case marks the subject of a verb.when the verb is active, the nominative is the person or thing doing the action (agent). When the verb is passive the nominative is the person or thing receiving the action.

[buttercutter1]

I interpreted the sentence to be здесь Германия, mainly because I am right now in Germany, I think especially for the german testees the answer should be accepted too.

[Sebkasanzew]

could be also the case that someone shows Germany on a map and says "здесь Германия"

[KruzKalke]

Would that not be better translated as "Germany is here?"

Granted, both translations would make sense, but I don't know how much context is needed such as gesturing at the map, the previous conversation, etc.

[MalvinK]

When you show something on a map, I think is better to use здесь

[M.Namie]

I'm confused. I read that if I'm pointing Germany on a map I can say "Вот Германия", and when I refer to a place that I can't point because I'm in it I can say "Здесь Германия". Am I correct?

[BenYoung84]

It's better not to think about maps as that can be confusing. It's better just to think that вот means "here is" with it's usual meaning.

"Here is" usually doesn't refer to a specific location, it means roughly something like "may I present", and that is translated as вот.

If you want "here is" to specifically describe what is in this location you have to change the stress in your voice or something. Anyway, when "here" means "this location" use здесь or тут.

[degj04]

Difference between вот and здесь?

[BenYoung84]

Вот = here is/are, здесь = here

[JakeVerda]

Thanks, this cleared it up well!

[Gustavo41568]

Здесь тоже вот.

[gokozen]

seriously ? other options are toilet is there lol

[Mazimbo]

In which case do you use the form Германию?

[Sebkasanzew]

In case you want to say "I'm driving to Germany" -> "Я еду в Германию".

[Mazimbo]

Now I understand, thanks! :)

[mons827895]

How important is word order here?

[Srboljub890]

Zdes germaniya?

[Alecks210]

Вот is directional...the bed is here.
здесь or тут is locational....shows place.

[Holger631394]

"Здесь Германия" should be accepted, too. I went through the Basics-1 lesson whith phrases like "Америка здесь?" and "Здесь не Россия." So, I thought "Здесь Германия" is fine, and I am surprised that now I should use "Вот". I was actually thinking of people looking at a map and pointing to the countries.

[BenYoung84]

Agreed, although the вот meaning is much more likely.

[MihajloRuski]

Can just say "Здесь есть Германия"?

[BenYoung84]

It's best to think of есть as meaning "there is" which doesn't apply here. Generally Russian doesn't translate is/are/am by themselves.

[SCPO1J]

My keyboard does not have Russian letters, so I cannot write these answers.

[John487027]

You can add them. Go to settings seach bar. Type in "languages." You should be able to add a language with a pop up keyboard/typewriter.

[okR1NLH5]

I wonder why this question has come up twice in one lesson, particularly as it’s a very basic construction that appears in the earliest lessons.