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Questions & Answers about В библиотеке можно читать.
What does можно mean in this sentence?
Можно is a modal word that expresses possibility or permission. It indicates that something is allowed or possible—similar to saying “one can” or “it is possible to” in English.
Why is the verb читать in its infinitive form rather than conjugated?
In Russian, when using modal words like можно to discuss possibility or permission, the following verb must be in the infinitive form. This structure means the sentence doesn’t specify a subject, and the action is expressed generally.
What case is used for библиотеке and why does it appear this way?
The word библиотеке is in the prepositional case because it follows the preposition в to indicate location. In this context, it means “in the library,” and the prepositional case is used with location-denoting prepositions.
Why isn’t there an explicit subject, such as “you” or “one,” in the sentence?
The sentence is impersonal. Russian often omits an explicit subject in constructions with можно, which makes the statement apply generally to anyone. This contrasts with English, where a subject is typically required.
How would you translate В библиотеке можно читать into English?
A suitable translation is “One can read in the library” or “You can read in the library.” This conveys that reading is allowed or possible in the library.