Learn Hardcore Russian: Моя сестра пела песню дома.

The verb пела is conjugated in the past tense to agree with its subject. Since сестра (sister) is a feminine noun, the past tense form takes the feminine ending.

What aspect does the verb пела express, and why might it be used here?

Пела comes from the imperfective verb петь. The imperfective aspect is used to indicate that the action of singing is described in a general or ongoing way, without focusing on its completion. In contrast, using the perfective aspect (as in спела) would emphasize that the singing was completed.

Why is the word песню used instead of песня?

In Russian, the direct object of a transitive verb takes the accusative case. The noun песня (song) changes to песню in the accusative singular for feminine nouns ending in -я.

What does the word дома signify, and how does it differ from saying в доме?

The word дома functions as an adverb meaning “at home.” It indicates location in a general, idiomatic sense. On the other hand, в доме is a prepositional phrase meaning “inside the house,” which is less commonly used when referring to one’s home in a general context.