Russian

Pronoun

э́то • ‎(éto)

1. demonstrative pronoun: this, it, that

   Мне э́то нра́вится!‎ ― Mne éto nrávitsja! ― I like it! or I like that!

2. neuter form of этот: this; compare этот/эта/эти and тот/то/та/те

   Э́то яйцо́ — све́жее, а вот э́то — ту́хлое.‎ ― Éto jajcó — svéžeje, a vot éto — túxloje. ― This egg is fresh, and this one is rotten.

Particle

э́то • ‎(éto)

1. Used as subject: it (is), this (is), that (is), these (are), those (are).

   Э́то — учи́тель‎ ― Éto — učítelʹ ― This is the teacher.

   Э́то — брат и сестра́‎ ― Éto — brat i sestrá ― They are brother and sister.

   Э́то не молоко́, а кефи́р‎ ― Éto ne molokó, a kefír ― This is not milk, but kefir.

Usage notes

• Used to connect subject and predicate as kind of topic or subject marker. (However, as opposed to actual topic markers such as は ‎(は) in Japanese, ‘это’ may be omitted without changing the meaning or breaking the sentence structure.) It does not get translated into English.

• Со́евое молоко́ — (э́то) напи́ток, полу́ченный из зёрен со́и — Soy milk is a beverage produced from soybeans.

• Note that all of the above examples are ellipses in which the actual verb (есть ‎(jestʹ) — is, суть ‎(sutʹ) — are) has been omitted, which is typical for Russian. Oftentimes, the omitted verb is replaced by an em dash.

Interjection

э́то • ‎(éto)

1. uh, er, erm, umm; used in hesitant speech;

   Я, э́то, не купи́л ничего́‎ ― Ja, éto, ne kupíl ničevó ― I, er, I haven't bought anything.

Idioms

• вот это (pronoun/particle) — this here, this over here/there.
• вот э́то да́ ‎(vot éto dá) (interjection) — wow.
• при э́том ‎(pri étom) (adverb) — in the process, in doing so; on top of that, withal, for good measure.
• по́сле это́го ‎(pósle étovo) (adverb) — afterwards, thereafter.
• в э́то вре́мя ‎(v éto vrémja) (adverb) — at the time, at that time; meanwhile, in the mean time.