Breakdown of Учебник содержит полезные слова и грамматические примеры.
и
and
грамматический
grammatical
полезный
useful
слово
the word
учебник
the textbook
содержать
to contain
пример
the example
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Questions & Answers about Учебник содержит полезные слова и грамматические примеры.
Why do the adjectives “полезные” and “грамматические” come before their respective nouns in this sentence?
In Russian, adjectives typically precede the nouns they modify—much like in English. “Полезные слова” means “useful words” and “грамматические примеры” means “grammatical examples.” The adjectives are placed before the nouns to directly describe them, and they are correctly inflected to agree in number (plural) and case (nominative) with the nouns.
What does the verb “содержит” mean, and why is it used in the present tense here?
“Содержит” is the third person singular form of the verb “содержать,” which translates as “to contain.” It is in the present tense, indicating that the textbook currently includes or possesses the items listed—namely, the useful words and grammatical examples. This usage describes a current and ongoing feature of the textbook.
How do adjectives in Russian agree with the nouns they modify, as seen in this sentence?
In Russian, adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case. In this sentence, both “полезные” and “грамматические” are in the plural and nominative forms to match with “слова” (words) and “примеры” (examples), respectively. This agreement ensures that the sentence is grammatically coherent.
What does the word “учебник” specifically refer to, and how does it differ from a generic book?
“Учебник” translates to “textbook” in English, referring to a book designed for educational purposes. Unlike a general book (“книга”), an “учебник” is structured to facilitate learning—often used in classrooms and organized around lessons or subjects that are meant for study.
Why is the conjunction “и” used between “полезные слова” and “грамматические примеры”?
The conjunction “и” functions like “and” in English. It connects the two lists—“полезные слова” and “грамматические примеры”—indicating that the textbook contains both useful words and grammatical examples. This simple connective keeps the items as parts of a single related set.
Are there any nuances in the adjective endings used in this sentence that I should be aware of?
Yes, there are nuances in Russian adjective endings. In the plural nominative case, adjectives typically end in “-ые” or “-ие” depending on the word. Here, “полезные” and “грамматические” use these standard endings to match the plural nouns “слова” and “примеры.” As you progress in learning Russian, you’ll discover that adjective endings change with different genders and cases, making agreement an important aspect of mastering the language.