Breakdown of Мы не можем расстаться друг с другом.
не
not
мы
we
мочь
to be able to
с
with (also со)
друг друга
each other
расстаться
to break up
Questions & Answers about Мы не можем расстаться друг с другом.
Why is the preposition с placed in the middle of друг с другом?
When using друг друга (each other) with a preposition, the preposition always goes between the two words. The first word (друг) stays the same, and the second word takes the case required by the preposition. We say друг с другом, never с друг другом.
Why is the Instrumental case (другом) used here?
The verb расстаться (to part) requires the preposition с (with) followed by the Instrumental case to indicate who you are parting with. Therefore, the second half of the phrase becomes другом.
Doesn't the -ся ending on расстаться already mean 'each other'? Why add друг с другом?
The reflexive particle -ся can sometimes imply a reciprocal action on its own, but it doesn't always. Adding друг с другом makes it explicitly clear that they cannot part with one another, rather than just being unable to leave a specific place or situation.
Why use the perfective verb расстаться instead of the imperfective расставаться?
The construction можем (we can) plus a perfective verb focuses on achieving a specific result. They are talking about the final, complete act of separating. If they meant 'We can never bear the process of saying goodbye (e.g., every morning)', they would use the imperfective расставаться.
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