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Questions & Answers about Знакомый сидит в кафе.
What does знакомый mean in this context?
It translates to “acquaintance” (or sometimes “familiar person”). It refers to someone you know, though not necessarily a close friend.
Why is there no article like “a” or “the” before знакомый?
Russian does not use articles. The meaning of “an acquaintance” is conveyed solely through context, without a need for definite or indefinite articles.
What tense and form is the verb сидит, and how should it be interpreted?
Сидит is the third person singular present tense form of the verb сидеть (“to sit”). It means that the action is happening right now.
Why does the sentence lack an explicit “is” as in “(is) sitting”?
In Russian, the present tense form of the verb “to be” (быть) is typically omitted. The verb сидит serves to show the action without needing a separate word for “is.”
How does the preposition в function with кафе, and why does кафе look the same in different cases?
The preposition в means “in” and indicates location. Although it usually requires a change in the following noun’s ending for the prepositional case, кафе is either indeclinable or its nominative and prepositional forms are identical. That’s why it appears the same.
What would change in the sentence if the acquaintance were female?
You would change знакомый to its feminine form знакомая. The sentence would then read: Знакомая сидит в кафе.
Can additional words modify the sentence to give more context about the relationship?
Yes. For example, adding a possessive pronoun can specify whose acquaintance it is. Мой знакомый сидит в кафе translates as “My acquaintance is sitting in the café.”