Questions & Answers about После работы мне хочется просто молчать.
Why is it после работы and not после работа?
Because после requires the genitive case.
- работа (nom.) → работы (gen.)
So после работы = after work / after (my) shift.
Does после работы mean “after work (in general)” or “after my work today”?
It can mean either, depending on context. In everyday speech it often implies after I finish work (today/these days), but it can also be a general statement: After work, I feel like…
Why does it say мне хочется instead of я хочу?
мне хочется is an impersonal way to express desire: literally “to me it feels wanted / I feel like…”.
Compared to я хочу, it usually sounds:
- more about a mood/urge than a firm decision
- softer, less demanding
Roughly:
- Я хочу молчать. = I want to be silent (more direct/strong).
- Мне хочется просто молчать. = I just feel like being silent (more “state of mind”).
What case is мне, and why?