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Questions & Answers about Каково было там?
What does каково mean here, and how is it different from как?
In this sentence, каково means something like what was it like?
It is close in meaning to как, but the tone is a little different:
- Как было там? = more neutral, everyday How was it there?
- Каково было там? = more literary, thoughtful, or slightly elevated What was it like there?
So a learner can think of каково as a more special form used for asking about the overall nature or experience of something.
Why is было used here?
Было is the past tense of быть.
It shows that the question is about the past:
- Каково было там? = What was it like there?
- Каково там? = What is it like there? (present)
So было is what makes the sentence past-tense.
Why is было neuter singular?