Когда поезд останавливается, я подхожу к выходу.

When the train stops, I go up to the exit.

Breakdown of Когда поезд останавливается, я подхожу к выходу.

• я: I
• к: to
• когда: when
• поезд: the train

Questions & Answers about Когда поезд останавливается, я подхожу к выходу.

Why are both verbs in the present tense: останавливается and подхожу?

Because this sentence normally describes a habitual or repeated situation:

• Когда поезд останавливается, я подхожу к выходу.
• Whenever the train stops, I go up to the exit.

In Russian, the present tense is often used for things that happen regularly or as a general rule.

If you wanted to talk about one specific future occasion, Russian would usually prefer:

• Когда поезд остановится, я подойду к выходу.

That means When the train stops, I’ll go to the exit.

So the present-tense version sounds more like a routine, while the future-perfective version sounds like a single future event.

Why is когда used here, and does it mean when or whenever?

Когда can mean both when and whenever, depending on context.

In this sentence, because both verbs are in the present tense and the meaning is habitual, когда is understood more like:

• when
• whenever

So:

• Когда поезд останавливается, я подхожу к выходу. = When/Whenever the train stops, I go up to the exit.

Russian often does not separate these two meanings as sharply as English does. The tense and aspect usually make the meaning clear.

Why is there a comma after останавливается?