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После того как я отключил уведомления, мне стало легче сосредоточиться.

После того как я отключил уведомления, мне стало легче сосредоточиться.
After I turned off the notifications, it became easier for me to concentrate.
FromLesson 61inHardcore Russian
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Breakdown of После того как я отключил уведомления, мне стало легче сосредоточиться.

я
I
мне
me
стать
to become
легче
easier
уведомление
the notification
отключить
to turn off
сосредоточиться
to concentrate
после того как
after

Questions & Answers about После того как я отключил уведомления, мне стало легче сосредоточиться.

Why does it start with После того как? Can I just say После как?

In standard Russian, после normally needs a noun phrase in the genitive (e.g., после урока), not a bare clause. To attach a full clause, Russian commonly uses the set connector после того как = after (the fact) that.
После как is generally nonstandard/colloquial and usually avoided in careful speech and writing.

What is the role of того in после того как? What case is it?
Того is the genitive singular of то (that/it). Historically, the phrase is like after that (thing/fact), that…. In modern usage it functions as part of a fixed conjunction после того как, so you don’t usually analyze того as referring to a specific object; it just helps form the connector.
Why is there a comma after уведомления?
Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause: После того как я отключил уведомления (subordinate) + мне стало легче сосредоточиться (main). Russian normally separates a subordinate clause from the main clause with a comma, especially when the subordinate clause comes first.
Why is it я отключил and not я отключал?

Отключил is perfective past (completed action): you turned them off (result achieved). That fits the meaning: after the notifications were turned off, a new state followed.
Отключал (imperfective) would suggest a process/repeated action (I used to turn them off / I was turning them off), which doesn’t match the idea of one completed step leading to a result.

Why is уведомления in this form? What case/number is it?
Уведомления here is plural accusative, the direct object of отключил (turned off what? notifications). For many inanimate masculine nouns, nominative and accusative plural look the same; уведомления is the standard plural form used here as the object.
Why does Russian say мне стало легче instead of я стал(а) легче?

This is an impersonal construction expressing a change in how something feels to a person:

  • мне = dative (to me / for me)
  • стало легче = it became easier
    So the meaning is it became easier for me (to…). Russian often uses dative + impersonal predicate for feelings, comfort, difficulty, etc.
What exactly is стало here? Why neuter?
Стало is past tense neuter singular of стать (to become). In impersonal sentences there is no explicit subject, so Russian uses the default neuter singular form: стало холодно, стало трудно, стало легче, etc.
Why is it легче and not лёгко?

Легче is the comparative form of легко/лёгкий: easier (compared to before). The sentence contrasts the new situation with the earlier one.
If you used легко, it would mean simply it was easy, without the built-in comparison.

Why is there an infinitive сосредоточиться after легче?

Russian commonly uses a pattern like (кому) стало легче/труднее/проще + infinitive to say it became easier/harder to do something:
мне стало легче сосредоточиться = it became easier for me to concentrate.
The infinitive describes the action that is now easier.

Why is сосредоточиться reflexive (-ся)?
The verb is сосредоточиться (perfective) / сосредотачиваться (imperfective). It’s naturally reflexive in Russian: the idea is to concentrate oneself / to become focused. Many Russian verbs for “getting into a state” are reflexive.
Is сосредоточиться perfective too? Why does that matter?

Yes, сосредоточиться is perfective (focus as a single achieved act). In the pattern стало легче + infinitive, aspect often reflects what you mean:

  • perfective (сосредоточиться) = easier to get focused (reach the state)
  • imperfective (сосредотачиваться) = easier to concentrate in general / as an ongoing activity
    Both can work, but сосредоточиться fits the common idea of “to manage to focus.”
Could I rephrase this without После того как?

Yes. A common alternative is a noun phrase:

  • После отключения уведомлений мне стало легче сосредоточиться. = After turning off notifications, it became easier for me to focus.
    Here после takes a noun (отключения, genitive construction). This is more compact and slightly more formal.

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