Questions & Answers about Я жду такси у вокзала.
Why is жду used instead of ждать?
Ждать is the infinitive (to wait). In a sentence you usually need a conjugated verb.
Я жду = I am waiting / I wait (1st person singular, present tense).
Is Russian present tense the same as English I am waiting vs I wait?
Russian has one present-tense form here: я жду. Depending on context it can translate as either I’m waiting (right now) or I wait (in general). The “continuous” meaning is often implied by context rather than a special verb form.
Why does такси not change form? Shouldn’t it have an ending?
Такси is an indeclinable noun in Russian (a loanword). That means it usually keeps the same form in all cases:
- жду такси (accusative “what am I waiting for?”)
- нет такси (genitive “there is no taxi”)
The form stays такси.
What case is такси in after жду, and why?