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Questions & Answers about Я чувствую боль.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Я чувствую боль?
Я means I; чувствую is the first-person singular present form of чувствовать (meaning to feel); боль means pain. Altogether, the sentence translates to I feel pain.
Why is the subject pronoun Я explicitly included when Russian often drops such pronouns?
In Russian, the verb ending already indicates the subject, so the pronoun can be omitted. However, including Я clarifies the speaker's identity and can add emphasis or contrast, which is especially helpful for learners.
What role does the conjugation чувствую play in this sentence?
Чувствую is the first-person singular conjugation of чувствовать in the present tense. The ending (‑ю) shows that the speaker is saying I feel, making it clear that the action applies to the speaker themselves.
Why doesn’t the noun боль change its form even though it’s the object of the sentence?
For many feminine inanimate nouns like боль, the accusative case is identical to the nominative case. This is why боль remains unchanged when used as the object in the sentence.
Is there an alternative way to express “I feel pain” in Russian?
Yes, another common expression is Мне больно, which literally means It is painful for me. While Я чувствую боль directly states the sensation, Мне больно is often used colloquially to express that one is hurting.