Learn Hardcore Russian: Мы отправились в приключение по старому городу. - We embarked on an adventure in the old city.

Отправились is the past tense, perfective form of отправиться, meaning “to set off” or “to embark.” It indicates that the group (“мы” – “we”) began their journey or adventure, emphasizing that the action of starting the adventure has been completed.

How does the preposition в function in the phrase в приключение?

In this context, в is used with the accusative case to signify entering into a state or situation. The phrase в приключение literally implies “into an adventure,” similar to the English expression “embarking on an adventure.” It conveys that the subjects are starting an experience characterized by excitement or unpredictability.

What role does the preposition по play in по старому городу?

The preposition по in this sentence denotes movement within or through a space. When indicating movement around or across an area, Russian often uses по followed by the dative case. Here, it shows that the adventure involves traversing the area of the old town, much like saying “through the old town” in English.

Why are the words старому and городу in the dative case, and how do they agree?

After the preposition по, which expresses traversal or movement across an area, Russian typically takes the dative case. Городу is the dative singular form of город (“city” or “town”), and старому is the dative singular form of старый (“old”). The adjective and the noun agree in gender, number, and case, ensuring grammatical consistency in describing the location.

Does the word приключение carry any additional connotations beyond the literal meaning “adventure”?

Yes, while приключение directly translates to “adventure,” it often implies more than just a journey—it can suggest that the experience will be filled with unexpected events or excitement. In this sentence, it accentuates the idea that the journey through the old town will be an engaging and potentially eventful experience.