Breakdown of Можно сразу объяснить это новое правило?
новый
new
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
правило
rule
можно
one may, it is allowed
сразу
immediately
объяснить
to explain (perfective)
Questions & Answers about Можно сразу объяснить это новое правило?
Why use the perfective verb объяснить here instead of the imperfective объяснять?
As we are learning in this lesson, the choice of verb aspect after можно depends on your focus. Here, the speaker wants the result: they want the rule completely explained. If they were focusing on the ongoing process of explaining, they would use the imperfective объяснять.
Where is the word for 'you' in this sentence?
There isn't one! The word можно is an impersonal word that means 'is it possible' or 'is it allowed'. Because it doesn't specify a person, this sentence literally means 'Is it possible to explain this new rule right away?'. English usually adds 'can you' or 'can someone' to make it sound natural.
What case is это новое правило in?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object, meaning it is the thing being explained. Because правило (rule) is a neuter noun, its accusative form looks exactly the same as its nominative (dictionary) form, and so do its matching words это and новое.
Could I use сейчас instead of сразу here?
You could, but it changes the feel slightly. Сейчас means 'now' (at this exact moment). Сразу means 'immediately' or 'right away', often implying doing something without delay or as the very first step. The speaker wants to skip other topics and jump straight to the rule.
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