Questions & Answers about Я люблю яблоки.
Wait, I thought neuter nouns ending in -о change to -а in the plural. Why is it яблоки and not "яблока"?
You are exactly right that most neuter nouns replace -о with -а to form the plural. However, яблоко is a tricky exception! Because its stem ends in -к, a spelling rule forces it to take an -и in the plural instead, giving us яблоки.
Is яблоки in the nominative or accusative case here?
Technically, it is in the accusative case because the apples are the direct object (the thing receiving the action of being loved). However, for inanimate objects (things that are not alive), the accusative plural looks exactly the same as the nominative plural. So knowing the nominative plural яблоки gives you the accusative form for free!
Why does люблю end in -ю instead of -у?
The verb любить (to love) belongs to a group of verbs that usually end in -ить. When forming the "I" (я) form, this specific verb adds an extra л and takes -ю, resulting in люблю.
Can I use this sentence to mean "I like apples" as well as "I love apples"?
Yes! While любить literally means "to love", Russians use it very commonly for foods, habits, and hobbies to mean you really like them. You can also use the phrase мне нравятся яблоки for "I like apples", but я люблю яблоки is very natural for a general, everyday preference.
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