Breakdown of Мы обычно долго доходим до вершины.
мы
we
обычно
usually
долго
for a long time
доходить
to reach (on foot)
до
as far as, up to
вершина
peak
Questions & Answers about Мы обычно долго доходим до вершины.
Why do we use the imperfective verb доходим here instead of the perfective дойдём?
The key word here is обычно (usually). Since reaching the peak is a habitual, repeated action, we must use the imperfective form доходим. We would use the perfective дойдём for a one-time completed action in the future.
Could I use идём к вершине instead of доходим до вершины?
They have slightly different meanings! Идём к just means you are heading in the general direction of the peak, but you might stop before you get there. The prefix до- paired with the preposition до specifically emphasizes successfully reaching that exact boundary or destination.
Why does the English translation say it takes us a long time, but there is no verb for takes in Russian?
Russian expresses the duration of an action much more directly here. Мы долго доходим literally translates to we arrive for a long time. In English, it sounds more natural to say it takes us a long time, but Russian simply modifies the verb with the adverb долго (for a long time).
Just to review, why does вершина change to вершины?
The preposition до (up to / as far as) always requires the genitive case. Since вершина (peak) is a feminine noun ending in -а, its genitive ending becomes -ы.
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