Новая мочалка мягче старой, поэтому дочка больше не жалуется.

Because мочалка is a feminine noun, and adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

• мочалка = feminine singular
• so новая мочалка = new washcloth / new sponge

Compare:

• новый стол = a new table
• новая мочалка = a new washcloth
• новое полотенце = a new towel

Мочалка usually means a bath sponge, washcloth, loofah, or something used for washing the body in the bath or shower.

The exact English translation depends on context, because English divides this idea into several words, while Russian often uses мочалка more broadly.

It is a common everyday word and it is feminine:

• эта мочалка
• новая мочалка

Мягче is the comparative form of мягкий (soft).

So:

• мягкий = soft
• мягче = softer

This is like English soft → softer, but in Russian the form is often built differently.

Examples:

• Этот диван мягкий. = This sofa is soft.
• Этот диван мягче. = This sofa is softer.

So Новая мочалка мягче старой means The new washcloth is softer than the old one.

Because after a comparative like мягче (softer), Russian often puts the thing being compared in the genitive case.

So:

• новая мочалка = nominative, the subject
• старой = genitive, meaning than the old one

In full, this could be understood as:

• Новая мочалка мягче старой мочалки.

But Russian often omits the repeated noun when it is obvious, so старой alone means than the old one.

You can also compare with чем:

• Новая мочалка мягче, чем старая.

Both are possible, but the version in your sentence is compact and very natural.

Yes, exactly.

The full comparison would be:

• Новая мочалка мягче старой мочалки.

But repeating мочалки is unnecessary because the listener already knows what is being compared. So Russian drops the repeated noun and leaves just the adjective:

• старой = of the old one / than the old one

This is very common in Russian.

Поэтому means therefore, so, that’s why, or as a result.

It connects the first idea with the result:

• The new washcloth is softer, so the daughter no longer complains.

There is a comma because Russian is joining two clauses:

• Новая мочалка мягче старой, поэтому дочка больше не жалуется.

That comma is normal and expected here.

Дочка is an affectionate or everyday form of дочь (daughter).

Both mean daughter, but they feel different:

• дочь = more neutral, basic dictionary form
• дочка = warmer, more familiar, often used in speech

So this sentence sounds natural and personal, as if talking about one’s child in a normal family context.

Больше не means no longer or not anymore.

So:

• жалуется = complains / is complaining
• больше не жалуется = no longer complains / isn’t complaining anymore

Even though больше often means more, in the pattern больше не it means something like any longer.

Examples:

• Я больше не курю. = I don’t smoke anymore.
• Он больше не работает здесь. = He no longer works here.
• Дочка больше не жалуется. = The daughter doesn’t complain anymore.

Because the verb is жаловаться, which means to complain.

Many Russian verbs simply include -ся / -сь as part of their normal dictionary form. In this case, you just have to learn:

• жаловаться = to complain

Then:

• я жалуюсь = I complain
• ты жалуешься = you complain
• дочка жалуется = the daughter complains

So the -ся here is not something you need to translate literally; it is just part of how this verb works in Russian.

Yes. Жаловаться often takes на + accusative, meaning to complain about something.

For example:

• жаловаться на боль = to complain about pain
• жаловаться на мочалку = to complain about the washcloth
• жаловаться на холод = to complain about the cold

In your sentence, the object is simply omitted because it is obvious from context. We understand that she was probably complaining about the old washcloth being unpleasant or too rough.

So the sentence does not need to say it explicitly.

It is present tense, third person singular.

From жаловаться:

• я жалуюсь
• ты жалуешься
• он / она жалуется
• мы жалуемся
• вы жалуетесь
• они жалуются

In English, Russian present tense can often be translated in more than one way depending on context:

• дочка жалуется = the daughter complains
• or the daughter is complaining

In this sentence, with больше не, the best English sense is:

• the daughter no longer complains
• or the daughter isn’t complaining anymore

Yes, Russian word order is flexible.

The given version:

• Новая мочалка мягче старой, поэтому дочка больше не жалуется.

is natural and neutral.

But other versions are possible, for example:

• Поэтому дочка больше не жалуется.
• Дочка больше не жалуется, потому что новая мочалка мягче старой.

The original order puts the cause first and the result second:

1. the new washcloth is softer
2. therefore the daughter no longer complains

That makes the sentence flow very naturally.

Because Russian has no articles.

So Russian nouns do not have separate words for a/an or the. The listener figures that out from context.

For example:

• новая мочалка could mean a new washcloth or the new washcloth
• дочка could mean the daughter or my/our daughter, depending on context

In this sentence, English naturally uses the:

• The new washcloth is softer than the old one, so the daughter doesn’t complain anymore.

But Russian does not need article words to express that.

Yes, that is a very reasonable translation.

Two things are happening there:

1. мочалка can be translated in different ways:

   • washcloth
   • bath sponge
   • loofah

2. дочка often strongly suggests someone’s daughter, so in natural English you may choose:

   • the daughter
   • my daughter
   • our daughter

If the context is a parent speaking, my daughter may sound more natural in English, even though Russian does not explicitly say моя дочка here.