Breakdown of Инспекторы проверили наши пропуска.
наш
our (наш, наша, наше)
проверить
to check (perfective)
инспектор
inspector
пропуск
pass
Questions & Answers about Инспекторы проверили наши пропуска.
Why does пропуск end in -а in the plural here? Shouldn't it be пропуски?
Пропуск has two different plurals depending on its meaning! When it means a 'pass' or 'ID permit' (like in this sentence), it takes the irregular stressed -а ending in the nominative plural, making it пропуска. But when it means an 'absence' or 'omission' (like skipping a class), it takes the regular ending and becomes пропуски.
Since пропуска is the direct object being checked, shouldn't it be in the accusative case?
It is! Because a 'pass' is an inanimate object, its accusative plural form is identical to its nominative plural form. So the nominative plural пропуска stays exactly the same when it acts as the direct object, and its modifying adjective наши does the same.
The word for inspectors is инспекторы. Doesn't it also take a stressed -а ending like доктора or профессора?
In strict, formal Russian, the correct plural is инспекторы with an -ы. However, in spoken Russian, you will often hear native speakers say инспектора. Many professions ending in -ор or -ер are slowly shifting to the stressed -а plural in casual speech, but it is safest for learners to write инспекторы.
Why use the perfective verb проверили instead of the imperfective проверяли?
We use the perfective проверили because it focuses on a single, successfully completed action with a result: the inspectors checked the passes and finished the task. If we used проверяли, it would mean they were in the middle of checking them, or that they did it repeatedly as a habit.
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