Дорога к ресторану была длинной и извилистой.

The road to the restaurant was long and winding.

Breakdown of Дорога к ресторану была длинной и извилистой.

• быть: to be
• и: and
• к: to
• дорога: the road
• ресторан: the restaurant
• длинный: long
• извилистый: winding

Questions & Answers about Дорога к ресторану была длинной и извилистой.

Why are the adjectives длинной and извилистой in the instrumental case rather than the nominative?

In Russian, when a predicate adjective follows the past tense of the verb быть (here, была), it is typically used in the instrumental case to describe the subject. This means that even though дорога is in the nominative as the subject, the adjectives describing it must be in the instrumental case, hence длинной and извилистой.

Why is the phrase к ресторану in the dative case?

The preposition к always requires the dative case when it indicates movement or direction toward something. In this sentence, ресторан becomes ресторану in the dative case to express “to the restaurant.”

How do the adjectives длинной and извилистой agree with the noun дорога?

Both adjectives agree with дорога in gender, number, and, due to the predicate construction, in case. Since дорога is a feminine singular noun and the predicate requires the instrumental case after была, the adjectives take the feminine singular instrumental forms, resulting in длинной and извилистой.

Why aren’t the adjectives in their nominative forms, like длинная and извилистая, in this sentence?

When adjectives serve as part of the predicate after a past-tense быть (as in была), Russian grammar dictates that they should appear in the instrumental case. This rule is why the correct forms are длинной and извилистой instead of their nominative equivalents.

What additional information does the adjective извилистой provide about the road?

The adjective извилистой adds the detail that the road is winding or meandering. Together with длинной, it helps create a vivid picture of a long, twisty road leading to the restaurant.

How does the conjunction и affect the form of the adjectives in this sentence?

The conjunction и simply connects the two adjectives длинной and извилистой. Both adjectives must share the same instrumental case to agree with the subject дорога after the linking verb была. The conjunction does not alter their form; it just links two equal descriptive elements.