Learn Hardcore Russian: Охрана спокойно проверяет документы у входа. - Security calmly checks documents at the entrance.

Because охрана is a collective noun meaning “security (as a service/staff).” In Russian it’s grammatically singular and takes a singular verb: Охрана проверяет… If you want a plural subject, use охранники or сотрудники охраны: Охранники проверяют документы…

What gender is охрана, and how would words agree with it?

Охрана is feminine. It agrees like this: эта охрана, спокойная охрана, pronoun она. The verb remains 3rd person singular: охрана проверяет.

What case is документы in, and why?

Accusative plural. Документы is the direct object of проверяет (“checks”). For inanimate nouns like документ, nominative plural and accusative plural look the same: документы.

What does у входа mean grammatically, and why is it входа?

У governs the genitive case and often means “by/at/near.” So у входа = “at/by the entrance,” and входа is the genitive singular of вход. Pattern: у + Genitive.

What’s the difference between у входа, на входе, при входе, возле входа, and перед входом?

у входа: physically by/near the entrance (neutral, common).
на входе: “at the entrance checkpoint/on entry” (very common colloquially in this context).
при входе: “upon entering/at the time of entry” (more formal, sign-like: При входе предъявите документы).
возле входа: “near the entrance” (synonym of у входа, slightly more explicit “near”).
перед входом: “in front of the entrance” (emphasizes position directly in front).

Does у also mean “from someone,” and could that be confused here?

Yes, у with people can mark “from” or “on someone’s person”: Полиция проверяет документы у прохожих (“checks the documents of pedestrians”). In our sentence, у входа is clearly a location (“by the entrance”), not “from the entrance,” so context removes ambiguity.

What aspect/tense is проверяет, and when would I use проверит or past forms?

Проверяет is present tense, imperfective—used for ongoing, repeated, or habitual actions.

One-time completed future event: проверит (perfective future).
One-time completed past: проверила/проверил/проверили (perfective past).
Example: Вчера охрана спокойно проверила документы у входа (one completed check yesterday).

Where can I place спокойно? Is Охрана проверяет документы спокойно okay?

Russian allows flexible adverb placement. Common/neutral: Охрана спокойно проверяет документы.
Other options:

Охрана у входа спокойно проверяет документы (adds location early).
У входа охрана спокойно проверяет документы (focuses on the location).
Охрана проверяет документы спокойно is acceptable but slightly less typical; it can sound like added afterthought emphasis on manner.

Why спокойно (adverb) and not спокойная (adjective)?

Because you’re modifying the action (“checks calmly”), not describing the noun.

Adverb: Охрана спокойно проверяет…
Adjective with the noun: Спокойная охрана проверяет… (grammatical but shifts focus to “the calm security”).
Predicate adjective: Охрана спокойна.

Does документы here mean “IDs” specifically?

Usually yes. In everyday Russian, проверять документы commonly implies checking IDs/passports. If you need to be explicit: проверять паспорта or проверять удостоверения личности.

Is there a passive version, and is it natural?

You can say: Документы у входа спокойно проверяются охраной, but Russian generally prefers active voice here. More natural passive-like instruction on a sign would be: При входе документы подлежат проверке or an imperative: При входе предъявите документы.

How do I say “Security checks everyone’s documents at the entrance”?

Add у всех (genitive plural “everyone’s”):

Охрана у входа проверяет у всех документы.
У входа охрана проверяет у всех документы.
You can also specify: у всех посетителей/у всех входящих.

What are the stress patterns and rough pronunciation?

охранá: ah-KHRA-na (stress on “на”), х like German “Bach.”
спокóйно: spa-KOY-na (final “о” is unstressed, sounds like “a”).
проверя́ет: pruh-ve-ryÁ-yet (stress on “я”).
докуме́нты: duh-koo-MEN-ty.
вхо́да: F-KHO-da (the в devoices to [f] before х); у входа ≈ “oo F-KHO-da.”

What conjugation pattern does проверяет follow?

From проверя́ть (1st conjugation). Present forms:

я проверя́ю
ты проверя́ешь
он/она проверя́ет
мы проверя́ем
вы проверя́ете
они проверя́ют

Can I change the word order to start with the location?

Yes. Word order is flexible and used for emphasis:

У входа охрана спокойно проверяет документы (emphasizes location).
Документы у входа спокойно проверяет охрана (contrasts who does the checking).
All are grammatical; choose based on what you want to highlight.

What if I use singular документ instead of plural?

Проверяет документ means “checks a/one document,” which is possible in context (e.g., a specific form). For ID checks, plural документы is the standard set phrase. If you mean “passport,” say паспорт specifically.

What nuance does спокойно add? Does it sound formal or casual?

It’s neutral and indicates the manner: calmly, without fuss, routinely. Alternatives: без суеты (without fuss), вежливо (politely), аккуратно (carefully). Using спокойно doesn’t make the sentence particularly formal or casual—it just adds a calm tone to the action.