Breakdown of Однако таможня проверяет чемоданы, если есть сомнения, везёте ли вы алкоголь.
вы
you (plural)
есть
is, there is, to have
чемодан
suitcase
проверять
to check
если
if
везти
to transport by vehicle (unidirectional)
алкоголь
alcohol
однако
however
ли
whether / if (in indirect questions)
таможня
customs
сомнение
doubt
Questions & Answers about Однако таможня проверяет чемоданы, если есть сомнения, везёте ли вы алкоголь.
Why does ли come right after везёте instead of at the beginning of the phrase like the English word 'whether'?
In Russian, the particle ли cannot start a clause. It must come immediately after the specific word being questioned. Since the doubt here is specifically about the action of transporting, ли attaches directly to the verb везёте.
The sentence uses both если and ли. Since they both can translate to 'if', can I use если instead of ли for the second part?
No, and this sentence is a perfect example of the difference! Если is only used for a conditional 'if' (if X happens, then Y). For indirect yes/no questions meaning 'whether or not', you must use ли. You cannot say сомнения, если вы везёте.
Why use the verb везёте for transporting alcohol, rather than несёте?
Везти is the unidirectional verb of motion for transporting something by vehicle. Because going through customs implies you are traveling by plane, train, or car, you use везти. Нести would mean you are carrying the alcohol physically on foot.
The translation says 'doubts about whether', but there is no word for 'about' in the Russian sentence. Where did it go?
Russian rarely uses a preposition right before an indirect question clause. Instead of using a clunky phrase like сомнения о том, везёте ли вы (doubts about the fact whether you transport), it is much more natural to drop the preposition completely and just attach the ли clause directly to the noun сомнения.
In English, 'customs' looks plural. Is таможня plural or singular here?
It is singular! Таможня is a regular feminine noun. Notice how the verb проверяет (checks) is in the singular 'he/she/it' form. Russian treats the customs agency as a single institution.
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