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Questions & Answers about Мама готовит бутерброды.
Why does бутерброды end in -ы?
This is the plural form. The singular word is бутерброд (sandwich). Because it is a masculine noun ending in a hard consonant (the д), we simply add -ы to make it plural.
Wait, isn't the sandwich the object of the sentence? Shouldn't it be in the accusative case instead of the nominative plural?
You are exactly right that it is the direct object! It actually is in the accusative case here. For inanimate nouns (objects that are not alive, like sandwiches), the accusative plural form is identical to the nominative plural form you are learning now.
The translation says "is making", but doesn't готовит mean "cooks"?
The verb готовит (from the dictionary form готовить) means "to prepare" as well as "to cook". In Russian, you use this verb for preparing any food or drink, even if there is no actual heat or cooking involved.
How do we know if she is making them right now or if she just makes them generally?
Russian only has one present tense. Мама готовит can mean both "Mom is making" (right now) and "Mom makes" (a regular habit). You usually tell the difference from context or by looking for time words in the wider conversation.