Breakdown of Куда они идут и почему обходят эти ямы?
и
and
они
they
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
почему
why
куда
where to
идти
to go (on foot) / to proceed, go (of a process)
обходить
to go around (impf)
яма
the hole
Questions & Answers about Куда они идут и почему обходят эти ямы?
Why does this sentence use куда instead of где for "where"?
Куда specifically asks about direction or destination ("where to"), which is required here because they are actively moving to a new location (идут). Где is only used to ask about a static position ("where at").
The verb обходят means "they go around." How is this verb formed?
It comes from the infinitive обходить. This is created by taking the prefix об- (which adds the meaning of "around" or "bypassing") and attaching it to the base verb of motion ходить (to walk/go).
If they are in the middle of a single trip right now (идут), why is обходят built from the multidirectional verb ходить rather than идти?
This is a strict rule for prefixed verbs of motion! To make an imperfective prefixed verb (describing an ongoing process, like they are doing right now), you add the prefix to the multidirectional base (ходить -> обходить). Adding the prefix to the unidirectional base creates the perfective verb (идти -> обойти), which would mean they have already finished bypassing the holes.
What case is эти ямы (these holes) in, and why?
It is in the Accusative plural. Verbs of motion with the об- prefix that mean "to go around" or "to avoid" take a direct object in the Accusative case without any prepositions. Because яма (hole) is an inanimate noun, its Accusative plural form looks identical to its Nominative plural form.
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