Breakdown of Мы должны сделать это до срока.
это
this / it is
мы
we
сделать
to do (perfective) / to make (perfective)
должен
must, have to (должен, должна, должны)
до
before, until
срок
deadline, term
Questions & Answers about Мы должны сделать это до срока.
Why does the word for deadline change to срока?
Because of the preposition до (before/until). In Russian, до always requires the noun following it to be in the Genitive case. The dictionary form is the masculine noun срок, which adds an -a to become срока.
Does до срока mean 'before the deadline' or 'until the deadline'?
It can mean both depending on context. Here, because you are talking about completing a single action (сделать), 'before the deadline' is the best translation. If the verb described a continuous action, like waiting, до would translate as 'until'.
Why is должны used here for 'must'? Is it a verb?
Должны is actually a short-form adjective, not a verb. In Russian, obligation is usually expressed this way. It changes its ending based on who is obligated. Since мы (we) is plural, we use the plural form должны.
Why use the perfective verb сделать instead of делать?
Because a deadline implies a finished result. Сделать is the perfective form, focusing on getting the task completely done. The imperfective делать would focus on the continuous process of working on it, which doesn't fit as well with 'before the deadline'.
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