Four forms, with two things to watch
In the masculine, many stems end in two consonants. Russian breaks the cluster with a fleeting vowel (an е or о that appears only in this form): интере́сный → интере́сен. And in common short adjectives the stress often jumps to the feminine ending. Pick a word:
When the two forms mean different things
After “is”, both forms are often possible, and the choice carries meaning. The long form describes what someone or something is like in general. The short form describes a temporary state, or how something suits a particular situation.
Twelve everyday words that live in the short form
These words are used almost only as short adjectives, and each has a fixed partner: a case, a preposition or a verb. Learn them as phrases, with what follows.
| Word · forms | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| радratgladра́да, ра́ды | + dative, or + infinitive | |
| до́лженDOL-zhinmust, have to; oweдолжна́, должно́, должны́ | + infinitive | |
| ну́женNU-zhinneededнужна́, ну́жно, нужны́ | person in the dative | |
| гото́вga-TOFreadyгото́ва, гото́во, гото́вы | к + dative, or + infinitive | |
| согла́сенsag-LA-sinagreed, in agreementсогла́сна, согла́сны | с + instrumental | |
| похо́жpa-KHOSHsimilar, likeпохо́жа, похо́жи | на + accusative | |
| правprafrightправа́, пра́вы | — | |
| винова́тvi-na-VATguilty, to blameвинова́та, винова́ты | в + prepositional | |
| знако́мzna-KOMacquainted, familiarзнако́ма, знако́мы | с + instrumental | |
| уве́ренu-VYE-rinsure, certainуве́рена, уве́рены | в + prepositional, or что | |
| за́нятZA-nitbusy, occupiedзанята́, за́нято, за́няты | — | |
| дово́ленda-VO-linpleased, satisfiedдово́льна, дово́льны | + instrumental |
Add был or бу́дет; with вы, always plural
The short form stays as it is; the verb “to be” carries the tense. был, была́, бы́ло, бы́ли match the subject’s gender and number. With polite вы, even to one person, the short adjective is plural.