Breakdown of Пересадка займёт минимум минут сорок.
минута
minute
сорок
forty
занять
to take (pfv)
пересадка
transfer
Questions & Answers about Пересадка займёт минимум минут сорок.
Why is it минут сорок instead of сорок минут?
This is the exact trick for numerical approximation you are currently learning! By putting the noun (минут) before the number (сорок), you change the meaning from 'exactly forty minutes' to 'about forty minutes'.
Does swapping the word order change the grammar case of the noun?
No, the grammar stays exactly the same. The number сорок requires the noun to be in the genitive plural, which is минут. Even when you flip the order to mean 'about,' the number still dictates the case of the noun.
Why use займёт instead of возьмёт for 'will take'?
To express that an action takes time, Russian uses the verb занять (perfective) or занимать (imperfective), not взять or брать. The latter verbs are used when physically taking an object. Займёт is the future tense form, meaning it will take time.
Does it make sense to use минимум (at least) and the approximation trick (минут сорок) together?
Yes! Just like in English, you can say 'It will take at least about forty minutes.' The speaker is setting a minimum baseline for the transfer time, but naturally acknowledging that the baseline itself is a rough estimate.