Questions & Answers about Итак, мы уже закончили урок.
What does Итак mean in this sentence, and how is it used?
Итак is a discourse marker that translates roughly as “so,” “thus,” or “alright then.” It’s used at the beginning of a sentence to:
- Sum up what has come before
- Signal a transition or conclusion
- Introduce the next point
In writing and speech it’s usually followed by a comma: Итак, …
Why is мы included here? Can it be omitted?
Russian is a “pro-drop” language: subject pronouns like мы (we) are often dropped because the verb ending already shows person and number. Here, мы is included to:
- Clarify the subject (we, as opposed to they or I)
- Add a bit of emphasis or friendliness
You can omit it if the context makes it clear:
• Итак, уже закончили урок. → “So, (we) have already finished the lesson.”
What does уже mean, and why is it placed before закончили?
Уже means “already”, indicating that the action happened earlier or sooner than expected. In simple past constructions without auxiliary verbs, уже typically goes directly before the verb:
• мы уже закончили (“we already finished”).
If you moved it elsewhere, you’d change emphasis or sound unnatural:
• мы закончили уже урок – possible, but less common in neutral speech.