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Questions & Answers about Поезд приближается.
Why does приближается end in -ся?
The ending -ся is part of the verb приближаться. In this sentence, it helps make the verb intransitive: the train is approaching by itself.
Compare:
- приближать = to bring something closer
- приближаться = to approach, to come closer
So:
- Поезд приближает... would need an object and would mean something like The train brings ... closer
- Поезд приближается means The train is approaching
In other words, -ся does not always mean a literal English reflexive like it approaches itself. Very often it just forms a different verb.
What grammatical form is приближается?
Приближается is:
- 3rd person singular
- present tense
- imperfective
It matches поезд, which is singular.
A few forms of the same verb are:
- я приближаюсь = I am approaching
- ты приближаешься = you are approaching
- он / она / оно приближается = he / she / it is approaching
- они приближаются = they are approaching
Why is поезд in this form?
Поезд is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the sentence.
This is also the dictionary form of the noun:
- поезд = train
Since the sentence is simply saying what the train is doing, the subject stays in the nominative case.