Learn Hardcore Russian: Моя подруга улыбается, когда смотрит фильм. - My friend female smiles when she watches a movie.

Подруга means female friend in English, whereas друг typically refers to a male friend or is used in a more general sense. The use of подруга here signals that the friend being mentioned is female.

Why does the verb улыбается include the reflexive suffix -ся?

The verb улыбается comes from улыбаться, which means “to smile.” The suffix -ся is a marker for reflexive verbs in Russian. In this context, it indicates that the action of smiling is being performed by the subject, a common construction for verbs describing personal expressions or actions.

What does когда mean, and what role does it play in the sentence?

Когда translates to when in English. It introduces a subordinate clause (когда смотрит фильм) that provides the time condition under which the main clause (Моя подруга улыбается) takes place.

Why is there no explicit subject in the subordinate clause когда смотрит фильм?

In Russian, if the subject of a subordinate clause is the same as that of the main clause, it is typically omitted to avoid redundancy. Here, the subject подруга is understood to apply to both clauses, so it isn’t repeated in the subordinate part.

What is the function of the comma before когда in the sentence?

The comma is used to separate the main clause (Моя подруга улыбается) from the subordinate clause (когда смотрит фильм). This punctuation clarifies the sentence structure by clearly marking the beginning of the dependent clause.

What tense and aspect are the verbs улыбается and смотрит in, and what do these forms indicate?

Both улыбается and смотрит are in the present tense and the imperfective aspect. This usage indicates actions that are ongoing or habitual. In this sentence, it suggests that the friend generally smiles whenever she watches a film.

How does the possessive adjective моя agree with the noun подруга?

The adjective моя is in the feminine singular form, which matches the noun подруга because it is a feminine noun. This agreement in gender and number between the adjective and the noun is a key aspect of Russian grammar.

How flexible is the word order in this Russian sentence compared to English?

Russian word order is quite flexible due to its use of case endings, which clearly indicate grammatical relationships. Although the sentence follows a natural order—with a main clause and a subordinate clause—the order can be rearranged for emphasis or style without losing its meaning. In this example, the structure effectively shows the relationship between the friend’s smiling and the time when she watches a film.