Questions & Answers about После ссоры нам нужно объясниться.
Why is it после ссоры, and why is ссоры in that form?
Because после (after) requires the genitive case in Russian.
- ссора = quarrel / argument
- Genitive singular: ссоры
So:
- после ссоры = after the quarrel / after an argument
This is a common pattern:
- после урока = after the lesson
- после работы = after work
- после встречи = after the meeting
What does нам mean here, and why is it not мы?
Нам is the dative case of мы (we).
- мы = we
- нам = to us / for us
In the pattern кому-то нужно + infinitive, Russian uses the dative to show who needs to do something.
So:
- нам нужно объясниться = we need to talk things over / we need to explain ourselves to each other
Literally, it is closer to:
- to us, it is necessary to explain ourselves / clear things up
Compare:
- мне нужно уйти = I need to leave
- тебе нужно отдохнуть = you need to rest
- ему нужно позвонить = he needs to call
How does нужно work in this sentence?