Breakdown of В метро сигнал часто пропадает.
в
in
часто
often
метро
the metro
сигнал
the signal
пропадать
to drop
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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.