Чемпион, которому я помогаю, любит трудные тренировки.
The champion I help likes difficult practices.
Breakdown of Чемпион, которому я помогаю, любит трудные тренировки.
я
I
любить
to love, to like
трудный
difficult
помогать
to help
который
which / who / that (relative pronoun)
чемпион
champion
тренировка
practice / training (physical, sports)
Questions & Answers about Чемпион, которому я помогаю, любит трудные тренировки.
Why is которому in the Dative case here?
The word который acts as a bridge. It takes its gender and number from the word it describes (Чемпион, masculine singular). However, its case depends on what it does inside its own part of the sentence. Because the verb помогаю (I help) always requires the Dative case, we must use the masculine Dative form которому.
Why are there commas around которому я помогаю?
In Russian, you must always put commas around a relative clause (the extra information describing a noun). Also, notice that Russian always requires the connecting word которому. In English, you can just say 'The champion I help', but in Russian, you can never skip the connecting word.
What case is трудные тренировки in?
It is in the Accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb любит (likes). The singular is трудная тренировка. Because it is an inanimate object (not a living being), the plural Accusative form looks exactly like the Nominative plural.
Could I use помогу instead of помогаю?
No, because помогу is a perfective verb and refers to a one-time completed action in the future (I will help). помогаю is the present tense of the imperfective verb помогать (to help), which we use here to talk about an ongoing or regular action.
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