Learn Hardcore Russian: Новые обои на стенах делают комнату светлее. - The new wallpaper on the walls makes the room brighter.

Новые translates as new and appears in the plural form to agree with the noun обои. In Russian, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify.

Why is the noun обои used only in the plural form?

Обои is a pluralia tantum, meaning it is always used in the plural regardless of whether one is referring to a single roll or multiple. This is a common feature in Russian for certain nouns.

What is the grammatical function of на стенах in the sentence?

На стенах is a prepositional phrase that indicates location. The preposition на (meaning on) combined with стенах (the plural prepositional form of стена, meaning walls) tells us where the new wallpapers are found.

Why is the verb делают conjugated in its plural form?

Since the subject Новые обои is plural, the verb делают is conjugated in the third-person plural form to maintain proper subject–verb agreement in Russian.

How is светлее formed and what does it signify in this context?

Светлее is the comparative form of the adjective светлый (light/bright), meaning lighter or brighter. It serves as the complement in the sentence, indicating that the room's brightness increases as a result of the new wallpapers.

How does the sentence structure compare to English, and what should learners note about its word order?

The sentence follows a clear structure: Subject (Новые обои) + Prepositional phrase (на стенах) + Verb (делают) + Object (комнату) + Complement (светлее). This closely mirrors the English structure, as in “New wallpapers on the walls make the room brighter.” Although Russian allows flexible word order because of its case system, this example aligns well with English, aiding comprehension for learners.