Use and Omission of the Linking Verb "bǐtj" in LPQR
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Using the linking verb "bǐtj"
When the predicate of a sentence is expressed by a noun, adjective, participle or adverb, LPQR (as well as Russian) often uses various forms of the verb "bǐtj" (to be) as a linking verb.
Past tense: The "bǐl" form is used.
Ivan was a student. - Ivan bǐl student.
Future tense: the "budjet" form is used.
The book will be interesting. - Kniga budjet interesjen.
Omission of the linking verb in the present tense
In the present tense, in most cases, the word form "jestj" (present tense form of the verb bǐtj) is not used. Instead, it is recommended to use a dash:
Anna is a student. - Anna – studentka.
However, it is allowed and in many cases recommended to use the link "jestj" in the bookish style of speech. In Russian, the verb "являться" is used in these cases:
Professor Sokolov is the best specialist in cardiovascular diseases. - Professor Sokolov jestj samǐj horošij specialist po boljezni na cordus i vasisǐ.
The location of a person or object
When talking about the location of a person or thing, the copula "bǐl" is used in the past tense, the copula "budjet" in the future tense, and no copula is used in the present tense.
Past tense:
Yesterday my parents were at work. - Vo včera roditjeli_u_mjenje bǐl na rabota.
Present time:
Today they are at home. - Sjevodnja oni doma.
Future tense:
Tomorrow they will be at work again. - V zavtra oni opjatj budjet na rabota
Absence of a person or object
Past tense:
In the morning my father was not at home. - V utro otječ nje bǐl doma.
Present time:
My father is not at home now. - Sjejčas otjec nje doma, Sjejčas otjec doma njet.
Future tense:
My father won't be home in the evening. - V vječjer otjec nje budjet doma.
The presence of an object or event
The preposition "u" and the verb form "bǐtj" are also used to indicate the presence of an object or subject in a certain place, as well as an event occurring at a certain point in time.
Examples:
Is there a bus stop here? - Yes, there is. - Zdjesj jestj ostanovka dlja autobus? - Da, jestj.
Is there a performance today? - Yes, there is. - Sjevodnja jestj spektakel? - Da, jestj.
Denial of existence
If the presence of an object is denied, in the past and future tenses the linking particles "nje" are used - "nje bǐl", "nje budjet". In the present tense the particles "nje" and "njet" are used, the linking particle "jestj" is not used.
Examples:
There was no stop here. - Zdjesj nje bǐl ostanovka.
There is no stop here. - Zdjesj nje ostanovka, Zdjesj ostanovka - njet.
There won't be a stop here. - Zdjesj nje budjet ostanovka.
There was no performance today. - Sjevodnja nje bǐl spektakel.
There is no performance today. - V sjevodnja nje spektakel, Sjevodnja spektakel - njet.