Breakdown of Преподаватель читает лекцию.
читать
to read
лекция
lecture
преподаватель
teacher (university)
Questions & Answers about Преподаватель читает лекцию.
Why does the sentence use читает (reads) if the English translation says gives?
In English, a teacher gives a lecture, but in Russian, the natural phrase is to read a lecture (читать лекцию). This is the standard verb used when talking about delivering academic lectures or seminars.
Why does лекцию end in -ю instead of -я?
The dictionary form of the word is лекция, which is a feminine noun ending in -я. Because the lecture is the direct object receiving the action (it is the thing being given or read), it takes the accusative case. For feminine nouns ending in -я, the accusative ending changes to -ю.
How do I know if преподаватель is masculine or feminine since it ends in a soft sign (-ь)?
Nouns ending in a soft sign (-ь) can be either masculine or feminine in Russian, so you often just have to memorize their gender. However, преподаватель is masculine. A helpful trick for A1 learners is that words for professions ending in -тель (like учитель for school teacher or писатель for writer) are almost always masculine.
What is the difference between учитель and преподаватель?
Both words mean teacher, but they are used in different settings. Учитель is usually a school teacher who teaches children. Преподаватель is typically a university instructor or professor, which fits perfectly here since this person is delivering a university-style lecture (лекция).
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