Breakdown of В крайнем случае мы попытаемся перенести встречу.
мы
we
в
in / to (direction)
встреча
meeting
случай
case, occasion
перенести
to postpone (perfective)
попытаться
to try (make an attempt)
крайний
extreme
Questions & Answers about В крайнем случае мы попытаемся перенести встречу.
Why do we use the perfective infinitive перенести after попытаемся?
In Russian, verbs that express making an attempt, managing, or forgetting to do something are usually followed by a perfective infinitive. Since we are focusing on the intended successful result of a single, specific action (rescheduling this meeting), the perfective перенести is required.
Could we use попробуем instead of попытаемся here?
Yes, they are often interchangeable because both mean "we will try." However, попытаться specifically emphasizes making an effort to overcome a difficulty or obstacle. The verb попробовать can also mean "to test out" or "to taste," whereas попытаться strictly means to attempt, which fits this "last resort" context perfectly.
What does в крайнем случае literally mean?
It literally translates to "in the extreme case" and is a very common fixed phrase meaning "as a last resort" or "in an emergency." The adjective крайний (extreme or last) and the noun случай (case or incident) are in the prepositional case because they follow the preposition в to describe the abstract location or circumstance of the action.
The root of перенести is about carrying things. How does it mean "to reschedule"?
The root verb нести means "to carry" by foot in one direction. Adding the prefix пере- gives it the meaning of moving or transferring something from one place to another. When you apply this idea of "carrying something over" to time or an event on a schedule, it translates to rescheduling or postponing.
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