Breakdown of Vojska je okružila dvorac i opsada je počela.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
i
and (additive)
početi
to begin
dvorac
castle
vojska
army
opsada
siege
okružiti
to surround
Questions & Answers about Vojska je okružila dvorac i opsada je počela.
How does the prefix o- change the meaning of the base word in okružila?
The base word is kružiti (to circle), which comes from krug (circle). Adding the prefix o-, which expresses encompassing or surrounding, creates the perfective verb okružiti (to surround completely).
Does the noun opsada (siege) also use one of the encompassing prefixes from this lesson?
Yes, it uses the prefix ob- (meaning around). When added to a root starting with the voiceless consonant s (from an old root meaning to sit), the voiced b must change to the voiceless p to match it. This makes op-. So, opsada is literally a sitting around or encompassing of an enemy.
Why doesn't the ending of dvorac change, given that it is the direct object of the sentence?
The verb okružiti takes a direct object in the accusative case. Since dvorac is a masculine inanimate noun (a thing, not a living being), its accusative form is identical to its nominative form. If it were an animate noun, it would take the ending -a.
Why use the perfective verb počela (from početi) instead of an imperfective form?
In a narrative sequence, actions that trigger the next event are treated as completed steps. Verbs denoting the exact start (početi) or end (završiti) of an event are almost always used in their perfective forms for past actions, pairing perfectly with the completed action of okružila.
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