Вы не только спрашиваете, но и отвечаете вежливо.

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Breakdown of Вы не только спрашиваете, но и отвечаете вежливо.

• не только: not only
• но и: but also
• спрашивать: to ask
• отвечать: to answer
• вежливо: politely

Questions & Answers about Вы не только спрашиваете, но и отвечаете вежливо.

What does the construction не только ... но и ... mean, and how is it used in this sentence?

It translates to "not only ... but also" in English and is used to link two related actions. In the sentence, it emphasizes that you don’t just ask questions, but you also answer them politely. The construction helps set up a parallel structure where both actions are highlighted equally.

Why is the pronoun Вы capitalized in the sentence?

In Russian, Вы (with a capital V) is the formal or respectful form of "you". Capitalizing it signals politeness and respect. It is used when addressing someone formally, either as a sign of courtesy or when speaking to multiple people.

How do the verb forms спрашиваете and отвечаете relate to the pronoun Вы?

Both verbs are conjugated in the second person plural form, which is required when using Вы. Even if you are addressing a single person formally, Russian grammar dictates that the verb form matches the formal pronoun. This ensures that the subject and verb agree correctly.

Why is the adverb вежливо placed at the end of the sentence?

In Russian, adverbs of manner like вежливо (meaning "politely") are typically placed after the verb they modify. Placing it after отвечаете clearly indicates that it describes the manner of answering. The word order is natural in Russian and helps to emphasize the politeness of the response.

What can be said about the parallel structure used in this sentence?

The sentence is structured in a parallel way thanks to the не только ... но и ... construction. This parallelism ensures that both actions (asking and answering) are given equal importance, making the sentence both balanced and easier to understand. It mirrors the English construction and reinforces the idea that both behaviors are notable.