Breakdown of Официант, можете налить мне рюмку коньяку?
я
I
официант
waiter
мочь
to be able to
налить
to pour
коньяк
cognac
рюмка
shot glass
Questions & Answers about Официант, можете налить мне рюмку коньяку?
Why is it коньяку and not коньяка?
This is the Partitive Genitive (also called the Second Genitive). For certain uncountable masculine mass nouns like коньяк (cognac), чай (tea), or сахар (sugar), we can use the ending -у or -ю instead of the regular -а or -я when talking about a quantity or a part of the whole. Here, you are asking for a specific amount: a shot glass (рюмку) of it.
Could I still say рюмку коньяка instead of рюмку коньяку?
Why is рюмка (shot glass) changed to рюмку here?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb налить (to pour). You are asking the waiter to pour 'what?' - a shot glass.
Why use the perfective verb налить instead of the imperfective наливать?
You are asking for a single, specific, completed action: you want one shot glass of cognac poured and given to you right now. For a one-time request focused on a completed result, Russian uses the perfective aspect.
Learn Официант, можете налить мне рюмку коньяку 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