…
Questions & Answers about Я ухаживаю за собакой.
What does the verb ухаживать mean in the sentence "Я ухаживаю за собакой"?
In this sentence, ухаживать means "to take care of" or "to look after." Although the verb sometimes carries a romantic connotation (as in "to court" someone), here—paired with за and an animal—it clearly means providing regular care.
Why is the preposition за used in this construction, and what case does собакой represent?
The preposition за is used with ухаживать to indicate that the care or attention is directed toward someone or something. In this structure, the noun following за must be in the instrumental case. Thus, собакой is the instrumental form of собака, showing that it is the object being cared for.
How is the verb in "Я ухаживаю за собакой" conjugated for the first person singular, and what is its infinitive?
The infinitive is ухаживать. For the first person singular in the present tense, it is conjugated as ухаживаю. This form indicates that the speaker is currently or habitually taking care of the dog.
Why is собакой used instead of the nominative собака?
Собакой is used because the verb phrase ухаживать за requires its object to be in the instrumental case. Instead of the nominative собака, the word shifts to собакой to maintain the correct grammatical structure for expressing care or attention in Russian.
Is the sentence in the present tense, and how can you tell?
Yes, the sentence is in the present tense. The verb ухаживаю is conjugated in the first person singular present tense, which clearly indicates that the action of taking care of the dog is current or habitual.
What is the overall structure of the sentence "Я ухаживаю за собакой"?
The sentence follows a subject–verb–prepositional phrase pattern: • Я is the subject ("I"). • Ухаживаю is the verb ("take care of"). • За собакой is the prepositional phrase where за governs the instrumental case (собакой), indicating the object of care. This structure highlights how Russian uses specific case requirements with prepositions to clarify relationships between words.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Russian grammar?”
Russian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning RussianMaster Russian — from Я ухаживаю за собакой to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions