Breakdown of У него болит не только желудок, но и поясница.
и
and
не
not
он
he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)
только
only
у
at, by
но
but
болеть
to hurt, to ache; to be ill
желудок
stomach
поясница
lower back
Questions & Answers about У него болит не только желудок, но и поясница.
Since there are two body parts hurting (stomach and lower back), shouldn't the verb be plural (болят)?
When subjects are joined by the phrase не только..., но и... (not only..., but also...), the verb usually agrees with the closest noun. Since желудок (stomach) is right next to the verb and is singular, we use the singular болит instead of the plural болят.
Why use желудок here instead of живот for 'stomach'?
In Russian, живот refers to the general belly or abdomen area (the outside), while желудок is the specific internal organ. If someone says their желудок hurts, it means the stomach organ itself is aching (like from an ulcer or a digestion issue), rather than just a general bellyache.
How do you use the не только..., но и... structure?
This is a fixed pair meaning 'not only..., but also...'. You place не только right before the first item you are emphasizing (желудок), and но и right before the second (поясница). You must always include the и in the second half!
Is there an easy way to remember the word поясница (lower back)?
Yes! It comes from the root пояс, which means 'belt'. The поясница is simply the area of your back where a belt would sit.
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