Questions & Answers about Уже поздно, я хочу спать.
Why is спать in its dictionary form instead of being conjugated?
Because it follows the verb хочу (I want). Just like in English (I want to sleep), when you use a modal verb to express a desire or ability, the main verb that follows it stays in its infinitive (dictionary) form.
Is хочу a regular verb?
Not completely! It comes from the verb хотеть (to want). It is slightly irregular because its stem changes from хоч- in the singular forms (я хочу, ты хочешь, он хочет) to хот- in the plural forms (мы хотим, вы хотите, они хотят).
Where is the word for 'it is' in Уже поздно?
Russian does not use dummy words like 'it' for time, weather, or general conditions. Additionally, the present tense of the verb 'to be' (is) is almost always skipped in Russian. Therefore, 'it is late' is expressed simply with the word поздно (late).
How is поздно pronounced? Do I say the д?
The д is completely silent! You should pronounce it as if it were spelled позно. Also, because the stress falls on the first о, the final о reduces to a short 'uh' or 'ah' sound.
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