Я дополняю историю музыкой.

I complement the story with music.

Breakdown of Я дополняю историю музыкой.

• я: I
• музыка: the music
• история: the story
• дополнять: to complement

Questions & Answers about Я дополняю историю музыкой.

What is the literal translation of Я дополняю историю музыкой?

The literal translation is "I supplement (or complement) the story with music." It indicates that the speaker adds music to enhance or complete the story.

Why are “историю” and “музыкой” in different cases?

In this sentence, "историю" is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the transitive verb "дополняю." Meanwhile, "музыкой" is in the instrumental case, which is used to express the means by which the action is performed—in this case, indicating that the story is being supplemented with music.

What is the grammatical role and form of the verb “дополняю”?

"Дополняю" is the first person singular form of the verb "дополнять" in the present tense. It describes an ongoing or habitual action carried out by the speaker, meaning “I supplement” or “I complement.”

Why is there no preposition (like “with”) before “музыкой” in Russian?

Russian often uses the instrumental case on its own to express the idea of “with” or “by means of.” In this sentence, "музыкой" already carries that meaning because its instrumental form implies the instrument used to achieve the action, so no additional preposition is necessary.

Could “дополняю” be translated as “enhance” or “enrich” in this context?

Yes, it could. Depending on the nuance you wish to convey, "дополняю" can mean "supplement," "complement," "enhance," or "enrich" the story with music. Each option suggests that the music is added to improve or give additional depth to the narrative.