В метро сигнал часто пропадает.

Breakdown of В метро сигнал часто пропадает.

в
in
часто
often
метро
the metro
сигнал
the signal
пропадать
to drop
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Russian now

Questions & Answers about В метро сигнал часто пропадает.

Why is it в метро and not на метро?
  • В is used for being inside an enclosed place or space: Я в метро = I’m in the subway (physically inside the system/trains/stations).
  • На with transport usually means “by (means of)”: Я еду на метро = I’m going by subway.
  • For meeting “at the station,” use у метро: Встретимся у метро = Let’s meet at the metro (station).
What case is метро in? Why doesn’t it change form?
  • With location, в takes the prepositional case. So в метро is “in the subway” (prepositional).
  • But метро is an indeclinable neuter noun: its form is the same in nominative/accusative/prepositional. Context and the verb tell you whether it’s location (в метро = in) or motion (идти в метро = into).
Could I say в метрополитене instead?
Yes. Метрополитен is the full, formal word for the subway and it declines: в метрополитене (in the metro system). It sounds more formal/official; в метро is what people say in everyday speech. Colloquial alternative: в подземке.
What exactly does пропадает mean here?

Пропадать means “to disappear/vanish” or “to drop out” (for a signal). Сигнал пропадает = the signal drops out/goes missing. Synonyms and near-synonyms:

  • исчезает (disappears; a bit more bookish)
  • обрывается (the connection breaks, e.g., for a call: связь обрывается)
  • Not typical here: теряется with “signal” sounds off.
Why is the imperfective used (пропадает) and not the perfective?
Because it describes a habitual/repeated situation. Imperfective fits general truths and routines: В метро сигнал часто пропадает. Use perfective for a one-time event: В метро сигнал пропал (the signal dropped [that time]); пропадёт (will drop once).
Is the word order fixed? Can I rearrange it?

All of these are grammatical, with slight shifts in emphasis:

  • В метро сигнал часто пропадает (neutral, sets place first)
  • В метро часто пропадает сигнал (slightly stronger focus on frequency)
  • Сигнал в метро часто пропадает (topic is the signal; then restrict to “in the subway”)
  • Часто в метро пропадает сигнал (fronted adverb “often” for emphasis)
Where should часто go?

Most natural spots:

  • Before the verb: Сигнал часто пропадает.
  • After a place phrase: В метро часто пропадает сигнал. Less common but possible for end-focus: Сигнал пропадает часто (adds emphasis).
Is сигнал the right word, or should I use связь/сеть?

All are used, with nuances:

  • сигнал: the radio/phone signal itself (bars). В метро часто нет сигнала.
  • связь: connection/service in general. В метро часто пропадает связь.
  • сеть: the network. В метро не ловит сеть.
  • For calls: звонок обрывается (the call drops).
What’s the difference between “нет сигнала” and “сигнал пропадает”?
  • В метро часто нет сигнала: states absence; there often just isn’t any signal down there.
  • В метро сигнал часто пропадает: dynamic; you sometimes have it, then lose it (drops out repeatedly).
Could I use падает instead of пропадает?
  • падает (сигнал) = the signal weakens (strength drops), not necessarily disappears.
  • пропадает (сигнал) = it vanishes completely (no reception).
  • исчезает (сигнал)пропадает, slightly more formal.
  • For breaking off: связь обрывается.
How do I say “I’m going by subway” vs “I’m in the subway”?
  • By subway (means of transport): Я еду на метро.
  • In the subway (location): Я в метро.
Any pronunciation tips for the sentence?
  • в метро: stress on the last syllable of метро: mi-TRÓ; в stays [v] before the voiced м.
  • сигна́л: sig-NAL (stress on -нал).
  • ча́сто: CHAS-ta (stress on the first syllable).
  • пропада́ет: pra-pa-DÁ-et (stress on -да-).
Why is there no “the/a” (articles) in Russian here?
Russian has no articles. Сигнал can mean “the signal” or “a signal” depending on context. Here it’s generic: in the subway, signal often drops out.
Is метро countable? How do I talk about different metro systems?
  • Метро is indeclinable and often feels mass/uncountable: Во многих городах есть метро (Many cities have a metro).
  • To make distinctions, use adjectives or the formal noun: московское метро, парижское метро; or метрополитен in plural: метрополитены разных городов.
What’s the grammar of сигнал here?
Сигнал is masculine, inanimate, nominative singular and the subject of the sentence. Adjectives and past-tense verbs would agree in masculine: сильный сигнал пропадал.