Questions & Answers about Я точно знаю перевод этого слова.
Why is этого слова in the genitive case?
Because in Russian we express “the translation of something” by putting the “something” into the genitive. Here перевод (translation) is the head noun and этого слова means “of this word,” so слова takes the genitive.
What does точно mean in this sentence? Is it “exactly” or “certainly”?
Here точно means “certainly” or “for sure,” emphasizing the speaker’s confidence. It doesn’t mean “precisely” in the sense of tiny details, but rather “I am absolutely sure.”
Could I say Я знаю точно перевод этого слова instead of Я точно знаю перевод этого слова?
Technically yes, Russian word order is flexible, but Я точно знаю… is more natural. Placing точно right after я highlights your certainty in the most idiomatic way.
What’s the difference between перевод and значение? Can I use значение here?
Перевод is “translation” (the equivalent in another language). Значение is “meaning” (the concept or definition in the same language). If you want to say “I know the definition,” you’d use значение:
Я точно знаю значение этого слова.
But for “I know the translation,” you need перевод.