Breakdown of Летом я люблю отдыхать у моря.
я
I
лето
the summer
море
the sea
у
by
отдыхать
to relax
любить
to like
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Questions & Answers about Летом я люблю отдыхать у моря.
What case is Летом in and why is it used here?
Летом is the instrumental case of лето. In Russian the instrumental form of a noun is often used adverbially to express “when” something happens. So летом literally means “in summer.”
Why is отдыхать in the infinitive after люблю?
In Russian, verbs like любить (“to like/love”) are followed directly by an infinitive to show what action you like. There is no need for an extra word equivalent to English “to”, because the infinitive ending already conveys “to rest.”
What does у моря literally mean, and why is у used with the genitive моря?
The preposition у plus the genitive case expresses location “by” or “at the side of.” Here у моря means “by the sea” or “at the seaside.” У always requires the genitive, whether it shows proximity (как здесь) or possession (e.g. у меня есть).
What’s the difference between saying отдыхать у моря and отдыхать на море?
У моря focuses on being right next to the water (on the beach, for example). На море is more general and means “to go to the seaside/coast” as a vacation destination. Russians often say поехать на море for “go to the seaside,” but отдыхать у моря emphasizes relaxing immediately by the water.
Why is the pronoun я used here, and can it be omitted?
Russian is a pro‑drop language: the verb ending -у in люблю already indicates first‑person singular. Я is included here for clarity or emphasis. You could just say Летом люблю отдыхать у моря and it would still mean “In summer I like to rest by the sea.”
What does using the imperfective verb отдыхать imply?
The imperfective aspect denotes a habitual or repeated action. By saying я люблю отдыхать, you imply that every summer you habitually enjoy resting by the sea. If you used the perfective отдохнуть, it would suggest a single, completed act of resting and wouldn’t pair naturally with люблю for a recurring preference.
Why aren’t there any words for “a” or “the” before моря?
Russian has no articles (neither “a” nor “the”). Definiteness or indefiniteness is understood from context. You simply say у моря for “by the sea,” and listeners infer whether you mean a specific sea or just any seaside spot.