Мама резала хлеб и сыр для бутербродов.

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Breakdown of Мама резала хлеб и сыр для бутербродов.

• для: for
• мама: the mom
• хлеб: the bread

Questions & Answers about Мама резала хлеб и сыр для бутербродов.

Why is the verb резала in this form? What does it tell you about the subject, tense and aspect?

• резала is the past‐tense feminine singular form of резать (to cut).
• In Russian, the past tense is formed by dropping -ть from the infinitive and adding -л- plus a gender/number ending: -а for feminine, -о for neuter, -и for plural.
• Using резала (imperfective aspect) emphasizes the process or habitual action. The perfective counterpart нарезала would emphasize that the cutting was completed.

Why are хлеб and сыр not marked differently as objects? What case are they in?

• They function as direct objects of the verb.
• For inanimate masculine nouns like хлеб and сыр, the accusative case is identical to the nominative.
• That’s why they appear in their dictionary forms even though they’re the objects of резала.

Why is для бутербродов in the genitive plural?

• The preposition для always requires the genitive case.
• бутербродов is the plural genitive of бутерброд. (Nominative plural: бутерброды → Genitive plural: бутербродов.)
• Together для бутербродов means “for (making) sandwiches.”