Breakdown of Можете ли Вы выключить лампочку перед уходом?
перед
before
вы
you
мочь
to be able to
выключить
to turn off
Questions & Answers about Можете ли Вы выключить лампочку перед уходом?
Why is ли used after the verb Можете?
The particle ли turns a statement into a yes-no question in formal Russian. It is placed immediately after the verb (or another word you’re questioning). Without ли, you could still ask this question, but you’d rely on intonation alone, and it might sound less formal or clear in writing.
Why is Вы capitalized in Можете ли Вы выключить…?
Capitalizing Вы is a stylistic choice to show extra politeness or respect in written correspondence (letters, emails, notices). In everyday conversation or informal writing, вы is normally lowercase.
Why is the verb выключить in its infinitive form?
Russian uses the infinitive after modal or semi-modal verbs like мочь (to be able). Here, Можете (you can) is the conjugated form of мочь, so the action you request—выключить (to turn off)—remains in the infinitive.
Why is лампочку in the accusative case?
Лампочку is the direct object of выключить. Since лампочка is a feminine noun ending in -а, it takes -у in the accusative singular to mark that it is being acted upon.