Breakdown of Старая лодка плывёт по волнам к берегу.
старый
old
к
towards, to
по
along, around
берег
shore, bank
Questions & Answers about Старая лодка плывёт по волнам к берегу.
Why does the sentence use плывёт instead of плавает?
Плывёт is a unidirectional verb of motion. It is used here because the boat is currently moving in one specific, single direction towards the shore. If the boat were just drifting around aimlessly on the waves, you would use the multidirectional verb плавает.
The verb плыть usually means to swim. Why is it translated as sailing here?
In Russian, the verbs for swimming (плыть and плавать) are used for anything that moves along or through the water. This includes people, fish, boats, ships, and even drifting wood. You do not need a separate verb to describe a boat sailing.
What case is used for the phrases по волнам and к берегу?
Both phrases are in the Dative case. The preposition по (which means along, on, or over in this context) and the preposition к (meaning towards) both require the noun that follows them to take the Dative case.
Why does the sentence say к берегу instead of на берег?
The preposition к paired with the Dative case specifically means moving towards or approaching a destination. If the sentence used на берег (which takes the Accusative case to show motion), it would mean the boat is actively going all the way onto the dry land to beach itself.