Breakdown of Он занимается с коллегой.
он
he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)
с
with (also со)
коллега
colleague
заниматься
to study, be occupied with
Questions & Answers about Он занимается с коллегой.
Why does коллега change to коллегой in this sentence?
It is in the Instrumental case, which is required after the preposition с when it means "with" (accompaniment). For nouns ending in -а like коллега, the Instrumental ending is -ой.
Does с коллегой mean a male or a female colleague?
It could be either! The word коллега can refer to both men and women. Even if the colleague is a man, the word still changes its ending like a feminine noun because its dictionary form ends in -а.
Why does the verb занимается end in -ся?
The -ся ending shows that it is a reflexive verb (its dictionary form is заниматься). While reflexive verbs often mean doing something to oneself, here it is just the standard way to say "to study" or "to be engaged in an activity."
Can занимается be used for other activities besides studying?
Yes! The verb заниматься broadly means "to be occupied with" or "to practice." Depending on the context, it can mean doing homework, working out at the gym, or practicing a hobby.
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