Breakdown of Пшеница может выжить без воды полтора месяца.
вода
water
месяц
month
мочь
to be able to
без
without
выжить
to survive
полтора
one and a half [f. полторы, obl. полутора]
пшеница
wheat
Questions & Answers about Пшеница может выжить без воды полтора месяца.
How does the word полтора work here, and why is it месяца instead of месяцев?
The word полтора means one and a half. When used in the nominative or accusative case, it requires the following noun to be in the genitive singular, just like the numbers 2, 3, and 4. That is why we use месяца instead of the plural месяцев.
Why is the perfective verb выжить used here after может?
The verb выжить is perfective because the sentence focuses on the successful completion of surviving for that specific duration. If we used the imperfective выживать, it would focus on the ongoing process of surviving rather than the successful result of making it through.
How does the prefix вы- change the meaning of the base verb жить?
The base verb жить means to live. Adding the prefix вы- often gives a verb a sense of endurance, survival, or obtaining a result through effort. In this case, it changes the meaning from to live into to survive.
Why is the word воды in the genitive case here?
The preposition без always triggers the genitive case. For the feminine noun вода, the ending changes from -а to -ы, giving us без воды.
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