есть
jestʹ[jesʲtʲ]
The Russian phrase for "there is" is есть (jestʹ).
In many simple sentences describing a state (e.g., 'The water is cold'), the word есть is often omitted entirely, whereas it is required when emphasizing the existence of something (e.g., 'There is water').
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, the word есть does not change its form based on whether the subject is singular or plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is [jestʹ'].
Did you know?
- In Russian, есть can be used to indicate possession without using a possessive pronoun, effectively meaning 'I have' or 'to possess'.
- There is a distinct linguistic overlap where есть can serve as a philosophical term for 'essence' or 'being'.
- The root of есть as a verb form of 'to be' is traced back to the Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésti.
Examples in context
- Это всё, что есть?Is that all there is?Tatoeba #903762 by marafon, translation #2891429 by CK
- Это всё, что есть.That's all there is.Tatoeba #5001561 by marafon, translation #2892013 by CK
- В чашке есть вода.There is some water in the cup.Tatoeba #8393585 by Wezel, translation #6139801 by CarpeLanam
- В музее есть интересные выставки.There are interesting exhibitions in the museum.
- В городе есть красивые площади.There are beautiful squares in the city.
- В книге есть много интересных иллюстраций.There are many interesting illustrations in the book.
- 409 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrey and Maria are looking in the fridge.
- Андрей AndreyМария, в холодильнике есть молоко?Mariya, v kholodil'nike yest' moloko?Maria, is there any milk in the fridge?
- Мария MariaНет, молока больше нет.Net, moloka bol'she net.No, there is no more milk.
- Андрей AndreyА сок есть?A sok yest'?Is there any juice?
- Мария MariaДа, сок есть на полке.Da, sok yest' na polke.Yes, there is juice on the shelf.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry есть, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries есть, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
