Я чувствую запах кофе на кухне.

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Breakdown of Я чувствую запах кофе на кухне.

• кофе: the coffee
• на: in
• кухня: the kitchen

Questions & Answers about Я чувствую запах кофе на кухне.

Why does Russian use чувствую запах here instead of just one verb meaning smell?

Russian often expresses I smell... as я чувствую запах..., literally I feel/perceive the smell of....

• чувствовать means to feel / to sense / to perceive
• запах means smell / scent / odor

This is a very natural way to talk about noticing a smell.

A different verb, нюхать, means to sniff or to smell something on purpose. So:

• Я чувствую запах кофе = I can smell coffee
• Я нюхаю кофе = I am sniffing the coffee

Why is запах included at all? Could you just say Я чувствую кофе?

You usually include запах to make it clear that you mean the smell of coffee, not coffee itself.

• Я чувствую запах кофе = I smell coffee / I can sense the smell of coffee
• Я чувствую кофе is much less natural in this meaning and could sound unclear or context-dependent

So запах helps specify exactly what is being perceived.

What case is запах, and why?