Breakdown of Обычно мы не получаем груз от двух поставщиков.
не
not
мы
we
обычно
usually
два
two
от
from
получать
to receive
груз
cargo
поставщик
supplier
Questions & Answers about Обычно мы не получаем груз от двух поставщиков.
Why is the number two written as двух instead of два?
The preposition от (from) always requires the genitive case. Therefore, the base number два changes to its genitive form, which is двух.
Wait, doesn't the number 2 take the genitive singular? Why is поставщиков in the plural?
That rule only applies when the numbers 2, 3, and 4 are in the nominative (or inanimate accusative) case. When a number is forced into any other case—like the genitive двух here—that rule is thrown out. Instead, the noun simply matches the number's case, but in the plural. So both двух and поставщиков are in the genitive plural.
Could we put груз in the genitive case (груза) because the verb is negated by не?
Yes, you could, but it changes the nuance. With negated verbs, using the accusative (груз) implies a specific, concrete shipment that you expected but didn't get. Using the genitive (груза) would emphasize the total absence of the object, sounding more like "we don't receive any cargo at all."
Why use the imperfective verb получаем instead of its perfective counterpart?
The adverb Обычно (usually) tells us this is a repeated, habitual routine rather than a one-time completed result. Habitual actions always require imperfective verbs in Russian.
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