Learn Hardcore Russian: Интерьер новой квартиры меня очень радует. - The interior of the new apartment delights me.

In this sentence, the thing that gives pleasure—the интерьер новой квартиры (“interior of the new apartment”)—acts as the grammatical subject. The person experiencing the pleasure, expressed as меня (“me”), appears as the direct object. In English, we might say “I really love the interior of my new apartment,” which puts the experiencer first. In Russian, however, verbs like радовать are structured so that what pleases you is the subject, and you (the one pleased) become the object.

Why is меня in the accusative case even though it represents the person feeling the emotion?

Russian uses the verb радовать in a way that the object (the person experiencing the feeling) is put into the accusative case. Although in English we naturally think of “I” as the subject feeling glad, the Russian construction emphasizes the thing causing the emotion. Therefore, меня (“me”) is in the accusative as it is the direct object of радовать.

What is the role of the phrase новой квартиры, and why is it in the genitive case?

The phrase новой квартиры acts as a modifier of интерьер, specifying whose interior we’re talking about—namely, that of the new apartment. In Russian, when showing possession or a descriptive relationship similar to “of the new apartment,” the noun квартира takes the genitive case. The adjective новой is also in the genitive feminine singular to agree with квартиры.

How does радовать differ from радоваться, and why is the former used here?

Радовать is a transitive verb meaning “to please” or “to delight,” and it requires a direct object (in this case, меня). On the other hand, радоваться is reflexive and means “to be glad” or “to rejoice,” with the subject experiencing the emotion directly. The sentence uses радовать to indicate that the interior is doing the pleasing, rather than stating directly that the speaker is “glad” in a reflexive sense.

What function does the adverb очень serve in the sentence?

Очень means “very” and acts as an intensifier for the verb радует. It emphasizes that the interior’s effect is strong—it isn’t just pleasing, it is very pleasing. This adverb adds a layer of intensity to the speaker’s feeling.

What can be said about the verb aspect of радует in this sentence?

The verb радует is in the imperfective aspect. This indicates that the pleasing effect is either continuous, habitual, or not limited to a single moment. It suggests an ongoing state of being delighted by the interior, rather than a one-time occurrence.

Is it possible to change the word order in this sentence, and what might be the effect of doing so?

Yes, Russian word order is generally flexible. For instance, you could say Меня очень радует интерьер новой квартиры without changing the overall meaning. However, the original order—beginning with интерьер новой квартиры—places emphasis on the object that causes the emotion. Changing the order might shift the focus slightly, either highlighting the speaker’s reaction or the pleasing object, depending on what is positioned at the forefront.