Breakdown of Кстати, скоро стартует новая выставка.
новый
new
выставка
the exhibition
скоро
soon
кстати
by the way
стартовать
to start
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Questions & Answers about Кстати, скоро стартует новая выставка.
What part of speech is кстати, what does it mean, and how do I pronounce it?
Кстати is a parenthetical adverb (discourse marker) meaning by the way or incidentally. It’s used to introduce a side remark. You pronounce it кста́ти, with stress on the second syllable (IPA [kstɐˈtʲi]).
Why is there a comma after кстати?
In Russian, introductory words or discourse markers like кстати are set off by commas. The comma separates the side remark from the main clause, just as in English you might write “By the way, …”.
Why is стартует in the present tense when it refers to a future event?
Russian often uses the present tense for planned or scheduled near-future events. Saying скоро стартует (“soon starts”) is perfectly normal and carries the idea “will start soon” without needing a future-tense verb.
What nuance does using стартует add compared to начнётся or откроется?
- Стартует is a loan from English start and has a dynamic, promotional flavor.
- Начнётся (will begin) is neutral and common in everyday speech.
- Откроется (will open) emphasizes the opening ceremony or that something becomes accessible.
Choosing стартует makes the announcement feel more “energetic” or marketing-oriented.
What aspect is стартовать, and does it have a perfective counterpart?
Стартовать is an imperfective verb—there’s no widely used single-word perfective form. To emphasize completion, Russians typically use a different perfective verb like начать (to begin) or rely on context rather than a perfective form of стартовать.
Can I change the word order—say, Новая выставка скоро стартует instead of Скоро стартует новая выставка?
Yes. Russian word order is flexible:
- Скоро стартует новая выставка is the neutral, informational form.
- Новая выставка скоро стартует shifts emphasis onto the exhibition itself.
Both convey “A new exhibition is starting soon,” but with slightly different focus.
Why is новая выставка in the nominative case, and what gender is выставка?
Выставка is a feminine noun in the nominative singular, and it functions as the subject of стартует—hence nominative case. The adjective новая agrees with it in gender (feminine), number (singular), and case (nominative).
Is стартовать commonly used for art exhibitions, or is it more for sports and projects?
Originally стартовать described races or technical launches, but in modern marketing and journalism it’s often applied to all kinds of events, including exhibitions. In neutral or formal contexts you might still prefer откроется or начнётся, but стартует gives a more “fresh,” promotional vibe.