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?