Извините, я опоздал, но буду стараться лучше.

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Breakdown of Извините, я опоздал, но буду стараться лучше.

• но: but
• извините: sorry
• опоздать: to be late
• стараться: to try
• лучше: better

Questions & Answers about Извините, я опоздал, но буду стараться лучше.

What is the meaning and usage of Извините in this sentence?

Извините is a formal way to apologize, often translated as "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry." In this context, it shows politeness and respect when addressing someone, indicating that the speaker is aware of the inconvenience caused by being late.

How is the sentence structured, and what is the function of the conjunction но along with the punctuation?

The sentence is a compound sentence divided into two independent clauses. The first clause, "Извините, я опоздал," expresses an apology and states that the speaker was late. The second clause, "но буду стараться лучше," conveys a promise to improve in the future. The comma before но correctly separates the two clauses, and the conjunction но (meaning "but") signals a contrast between the past mistake and the future commitment.

How does the phrase буду стараться express future intention in Russian?

The phrase буду стараться uses a future construction where буду (the first person singular of быть) is combined with the imperfective verb стараться. This formation indicates that the speaker intends to make a continuous, ongoing effort in the future. It’s similar to the English "I will try" or "I will be trying" to improve.

Why is the verb опоздал used in this sentence, and what does it tell us about the speaker?

Опоздал is the past tense form of the verb meaning “to be late” and is in the masculine form. Russian verbs in the past tense must agree with the speaker’s gender. Since опоздал is masculine, it indicates that the speaker is male. If a female speaker were to say the same thing, she would say опоздала.

What role does лучше play in this sentence?

Лучше is an adverb that means "better" in its comparative form. It modifies the verb стараться, indicating that the speaker intends to make a greater effort than before. Rather than just trying, the speaker promises to try more effectively or with more improvement than in the past.