Крепёж и упаковочный скотч лежат в коробке.

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Breakdown of Крепёж и упаковочный скотч лежат в коробке.

• и: and
• лежать: to lie
• коробка: the box

Questions & Answers about Крепёж и упаковочный скотч лежат в коробке.

Why is the verb лежат plural if крепёж and скотч both look singular?

Because the subject is made of two nouns joined by и:

• крепёж
• упаковочный скотч

Together they mean X and Y, so Russian normally uses a plural verb:

• Крепёж лежит в коробке.
• Скотч лежит в коробке.
• Крепёж и скотч лежат в коробке.

So лежат agrees with the whole combined subject, not with each noun separately.

Why is the verb лежат used here instead of just a general word for are?

Russian often uses verbs that describe the physical position of things.

• лежать / лежат = to be lying
• стоять / стоят = to be standing
• висеть / висят = to be hanging

For loose objects such as fasteners and tape in a box, лежать sounds natural. Russian prefers this kind of positional verb where English often just says is/are.

A more neutral alternative would be:

• Крепёж и упаковочный скотч находятся в коробке.

But that sounds more formal and less natural in everyday speech.

Why is it в коробке and not в коробку?