to have

Possession in Russian: The "U menya yest" Construction

In Russian, there isn't a single verb that works exactly like the English verb "to have" (tener). Instead, Russians use a specific construction that literally translates to: "By me there is..."

The Basic Formula

To say you have something, use this structure:

U + [Pronoun in Genitive Case] + yest + [The thing you have]

Forms for All Pronouns

Here is how the "owner" changes depending on the pronoun:

• I have: У меня есть (U menya yest)
  Example: У меня есть собака (U menya yest sobaka) - I have a dog.
• You have (informal): У тебя есть (U tebya yest)
  Example: У тебя есть время (U tebya yest vremya) - You have time.
• He has: У него есть (U nego yest)
  Example: У него есть машина (U nego yest mashina) - He has a car.
• She has: У неё есть (U neyo yest)
  Example: У неё есть кошка (U neyo yest koshka) - She has a cat.
• We have: У нас есть (U nas yest)
  Example: У нас есть дом (U nas yest dom) - We have a house.
• You have (plural or formal): У вас есть (U vas yest)
  Example: У вас есть вопрос? (U vas yest vopros?) - Do you have a question?
• They have: У них есть (U nikh yest)
  Example: У них есть дети (U nikh yest deti) - They have children.

Key Notes

1. The word "yest" (есть): This word means "exists" or "is." In affirmative sentences where you want to emphasize that the object exists or is in your possession, you include it.

2. The Object: The thing being possessed stays in the Nominative case (the dictionary form), because grammatically, the object is the subject of the sentence (e.g., "A dog exists by me").