Breakdown of Я читаю книгу, потому что книга интересная.
я
I
книга
the book
читать
to read
интересный
interesting
потому что
because
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Questions & Answers about Я читаю книгу, потому что книга интересная.
Why is the noun книга repeated in the sentence instead of using a pronoun in the second clause?
In Russian, it's quite common to repeat the noun for emphasis or clarity. In this sentence, книга appears first as the object of читаю ("I am reading the book") and then as the subject in the explanatory clause ("because the book is interesting"). Although in English you might replace the second mention with a pronoun, repeating the noun in Russian helps underline its significance in the context.
What tense is used in читаю, and what does it indicate about the action?
The verb читаю is in the present tense, which indicates that the action is currently happening or is a habitual action. This form tells us that the speaker is in the process of reading the book right now, and the interesting nature of the book is the reason behind that ongoing action.
Why does книга change to книгу in the sentence?
Книгу is the accusative form of книга. In Russian, the direct object of a verb takes the accusative case. Feminine nouns like книга typically change their ending (from -а in the nominative to -у or -ю in the accusative), which is why the sentence uses книгу after the verb читаю.
What is the function and meaning of потому что in this sentence?
Потому что translates to because in English and serves as a subordinating conjunction. It connects the main clause with a subordinate clause that explains the reason for the action. Here, it shows that the reason for reading the book is that it is interesting.
How does the adjective интересная agree with the noun книга in this context?
In Russian, adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. The noun книга is feminine, singular, and in the nominative case in the clause книга интересная. Therefore, the adjective интересная is also in the feminine singular nominative form, ensuring proper grammatical agreement.
Why is there a comma placed before потому что in the sentence?
The comma before потому что separates the main clause from the subordinate clause. In Russian punctuation, it's standard practice to place a comma before such subordinating conjunctions when they introduce an explanatory or causal clause, clearly indicating the division between the two parts of the sentence.