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Questions & Answers about Я говорю с другом.
What does each word in the sentence mean?
Я means I; говорю is the first-person singular present form of говорить (meaning speak or talk); с translates as with; and другом is the instrumental form of друг (meaning friend). Together, the sentence means I speak with a friend.
Why is the noun changed from друг to другом in this sentence?
In Russian, the preposition с (meaning with) requires that the noun following it be in the instrumental case. The noun друг is transformed into другом to meet this grammatical requirement.
What tense and person is the verb говорю in?
Говорю is in the present tense and is conjugated for the first-person singular. It effectively means I speak or I am talking.
How would the sentence change if you were referring to a female friend?
For a female friend, you would use the feminine equivalent. The sentence would become: Я говорю с подругой. Here, подругой is the instrumental form of подруга, which means female friend.
What is the difference between using говорю and разговариваю in such sentences?
Both verbs relate to speaking, but they carry slightly different nuances. Говорю generally means to speak or say something, and can imply a one-sided action. Разговариваю suggests a conversation or dialogue, indicating an exchange between people. The choice depends on whether you wish to emphasize simply speaking or engaging in a mutual conversation.