Breakdown of Наши каникулы начинаются в июне, и мы едем на дачу.
и
and
мы
we
наш
our (наш, наша, наше)
на
on, at / by (transport) / to (a place) / to (in answer to)
ехать
to go (by vehicle)
в
on / during (a time period)
дача
dacha, summer house
начинаться
to begin (of an event)
июнь
June
каникулы
holidays
Questions & Answers about Наши каникулы начинаются в июне, и мы едем на дачу.
Why is it в июне instead of just в июнь?
To say 'in a certain month', Russian uses the preposition в plus the Prepositional case. The dictionary form for June is июнь. Because it is a masculine word ending in a soft sign, its Prepositional ending becomes -е, making it в июне.
The English translation says 'our holidays', and наши каникулы looks plural. Is it always plural?
Yes! In Russian, school or university holidays (каникулы) is a 'plural-only' word, much like 'scissors' or 'pants' in English. That is why it uses the plural modifier наши (our) and the plural verb начинаются.
Why does the verb начинаются have -ся at the end?
The verb начинаться is reflexive. We use it when something starts on its own, like holidays, a movie, or a lesson. If a person is starting an action, like 'I start the lesson', you would use the regular verb начинать without the -ся.
Why do we use едем for 'we go' instead of идём?
Russian makes a strict difference between going by foot and going by transport. Since a дача (country house) is usually outside the city, you have to drive or take a train to get there. Therefore, we must use the verb for going by vehicle, едем.
Why do we say на дачу instead of в дачу?
To show destination, we use the Accusative case. While most enclosed buildings take в (into), дача is an exception. It historically refers to a plot of land, so it always pairs with the preposition на (onto/to). The feminine noun ending changes to -у for the Accusative case, making it на дачу.
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