Breakdown of Если вертолёт не сможет взлететь, мы поедем на поезде.
не
not
мы
we
на
on, at / by (transport) / to (a place) / to (in answer to)
поезд
train
поехать
to go (by transport)
если
if
смочь
to manage to, to be able to (perfective)
вертолёт
the helicopter
взлететь
to take off, to fly up (pf)
Questions & Answers about Если вертолёт не сможет взлететь, мы поедем на поезде.
How does the prefix вз- change the meaning of лететь in this sentence?
The prefix вз- (or вс- before voiceless consonants) adds the meaning of upward movement. When added to лететь (to fly), it creates взлететь, which means "to fly up" or "to take off".
Why do we use the perfective взлететь instead of the imperfective взлетать here?
We use the perfective aspect because we are talking about a specific, single potential event—one attempt for the helicopter to take off. If we were talking about a general inability to take off regularly, we would use the imperfective взлетать.
Why doesn't the future tense не сможет use the future helper word будет?
Сможет is the perfective form of "to be able to" (смочь). In Russian, perfective verbs do not use the helper word быть (like будет) to form the future tense. Conjugating a perfective verb with normal present-tense endings automatically makes it future tense.
Why is "by train" translated as на поезде rather than using the bare Instrumental case?
When talking about a mode of transportation you are traveling on or in, Russian uses the preposition на followed by the Prepositional case. You cannot translate the English "by" directly into the Instrumental case here; you must say "on the train" (на поезде).
Learn Если вертолёт не сможет взлететь, мы поедем на поезде and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free