This series covers polyfunctional words — high-frequency Russian function words that serve multiple grammatical roles. Each article groups three or four related words; each section treats one word, with subsections for its distinct grammatical functions and tooltip examples of common usage.

Chapters

что, как, то, так

Polyfunctional words что, как, то, and так: complementizers, interrogatives, correlatives, and manner adverbs.

да, это, вот, же

Polyfunctional words да, это, вот, and же: demonstratives, deictics, emphasis, and discourse particles.

если, когда, чтобы, хотя

Polyfunctional subordinators если, когда, чтобы, and хотя: condition, time, purpose, and concession.

пока, который, какой, такой

Polyfunctional words пока, который, какой, and такой: temporal, relative, interrogative, and demonstrative functions.

сам, один, самый, весь

Polyfunctional words сам, один, самый, and весь: reflexive emphasis, indefiniteness, superlatives, and totality.

свой, только, ещё, уже

Polyfunctional words свой, только, ещё, and уже: reflexive possession, restriction, addition, and temporal/aspectual marking.

ведь, ну, ли

Polyfunctional discourse particles ведь, ну, and ли: explanation, softening, and interrogative marking.

словно, будто

Polyfunctional comparison particles словно and будто: simile, evidentiality, and hedging in Russian.