Breakdown of Наши планы совпадают: мы оба хотим пообедать в двадцать минут второго.
мы
we
наш
our
хотеть
to want
план
plan
минута
minute
в
on / during (a time period)
пообедать
to have lunch (perfective)
двадцать
twenty
второй
second
оба
both (m/n)
совпадать
to coincide
Questions & Answers about Наши планы совпадают: мы оба хотим пообедать в двадцать минут второго.
How does двадцать минут второго translate to "twenty minutes past one"?
In traditional Russian time-telling, for the first half of the hour, you say how many minutes have passed, followed by the ordinal number of the upcoming hour in the Genitive case. Since 1:20 is twenty minutes into the second hour, we say it is twenty minutes "of the second" (второго).
Why do we use the preposition в before the time here?
To say "at" a specific clock time, Russian uses the preposition в followed by the Accusative case. For a number like двадцать, the Accusative form looks exactly the same as the Nominative.
Why is the word оба used instead of обе?
Why use the perfective verb пообедать instead of the imperfective обедать?
The speakers are talking about a single, specific, and complete action (having one specific lunch together today at 1:20). After the verb хотеть (to want), the perfective aspect is the natural choice when you want to achieve a single completed result.
What does the verb совпадают literally mean in this context?
The verb совпадать literally translates as "to coincide" or "to fall together." It is the standard and most natural verb to use in Russian when discussing plans, schedules, interests, or opinions that match up perfectly.
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