Learn Hardcore Russian: Мама любит цветы.

Russian does not use articles—there’s no equivalent to the English words the or a. Nouns appear without any definite or indefinite article markers.

What grammatical case is цветы in, and why does its form look the same as the nominative?

Цветы is the direct object of the sentence, so it is in the accusative case. For inanimate nouns in Russian, the accusative case often has the same form as the nominative, which is why цветы looks identical in both cases.

How does the verb любит agree with the subject Мама in this sentence?

The verb любить is conjugated as любит in the third-person singular to match the singular subject Мама. In Russian present tense conjugation, this form is used regardless of the subject’s gender.

What is the word order of the sentence, and can it be rearranged in Russian?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order: Мама (subject) comes first, любит (verb) follows, and цветы (object) comes last. While SVO is standard in Russian, the language allows flexible word order for emphasis or stylistic reasons.

Why is Мама capitalized in this sentence?

Мама is capitalized because it begins the sentence. Additionally, when used as a term of address or as a familial identifier, it can take on a status similar to a proper noun, though in general usage it is not strictly a proper noun.